foundation
the hodge trophy
the history
The Dan Hodge Trophy honors the top college wrestler every year. It was established in 1995 and is named after the legendary Dan Hodge, who was an NCAA champion, Olympic medalist, multiple-time NWA champion, and a great ambassador for the sport of wrestling. This trophy is considered the Heisman Trophy of wrestling.
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The award was established by longtime journalist and wrestling hall-of-famer Mike Chapman and is presented by WIN Magazine. The Hodge Trophy has been presented to 29 wrestlers in its 27-year history. Two wrestlers won the award in 2001, the only time in the award's history that the trophy has been presented to more than one athlete per year.
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Courtesy of NCAA.com and WIN Magazine
award selection
Originally created to celebrate the pin in college wrestling, the Dan Hodge Trophy is based on seven criteria including record, a number of pins, dominance, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship, and heart.
The trophy is based primarily on the results of a single season, but past accomplishments are considered as well, particularly in years where the competition is tighter.
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The winner of the Hodge Trophy is determined based on a voting process that includes previous Hodge members, national media members, retired college coaches from each region of the United States, and a representative of the national wrestling organizations in the country. Fans also have a chance to vote for the Hodge winner, and the athlete with the most fan votes will receive two first-place votes in the count. Voting is typically conducted after the conclusion of the NCAA tournament, and the winner is announced in April.