Dan Hodge Trophy


The Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded each year to the nation's best college wrestler. The trophy is presented at the end of the season by W.I.N. Magazine and Culture House. It is the wrestling equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. The Hodge Trophy was created by Mike Chapman, founder of WIN magazine and Culture House, a company that produces books and posters. Chapman also wrote the 2010 biography of Hodge called "Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story". The first winner was T.J. Jaworsky of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995.
The Hodge Trophy is named after Danny Hodge, an outstanding wrestler for the University of Oklahoma from 1955 to 1957. Hodge was a three-time NCAA champion who went undefeated, with a record of 46-0, in intercollegiate competition.
There have been four multiple winners of the Hodge Trophy. The first was Cael Sanderson, who won the award three times, the second was Ben Askren, who won the award two times, the third was David Taylor, who won the award two times, and the fourth was Zain Retherford, who also won the award two times.

Award criteria

The trophy is awarded based on seven criteria:
1. Record
2. Number of pins
3. Dominance
4. Past credentials
5. Quality of competition
6. Sportsmanship/citizenship
7. Heart

Winners

* Number of first place ballot votes from the Hodge Committee is indicated in parentheses
** In 2001, the Dan Hodge Trophy was shared by two co-winners