In 1995, Mike created the Dan Hodge Trophy which goes each year to the top college wrestler in the nation. Mike’s goal was to create a trophy for wrestling that would rival the Heisman trophy in football. He named the trophy after the legendary Sooner, known for his pinning prowess. “One of the main goals was to put more emphasis back on the pin,” said Mike.

At a 2019 Penn State wrestling dual meet, four winners of The Dan Hodge Trophy posed with their trophies. They are (from left) Bo Nickal, Zain Retherford, David Taylor and Kerry McCoy. Retherford and Taylor are among just six wrestlers who have won more than one trophy since its inception in 1995. (Photo courtesy of Penn State Athletic Department)

Criteria for the award includes a wrestler’s record, number of pins, dominance on the mat, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart.

The trophy is presented by ASICS, and co-sponsored by WIN Magazine and Culture House, a company owned by Mike and Bev that promotes the sport of wrestling and various eras of history. The award is generally presented at the season-ending banquet of the winning wrestler’s school and again at half time of a football game the following fall. It is estimated that over 1 million fans have seen the trophy presented at the football games since 1995.

All-Time Dan Hodge Trophy Winners
Year | Name | School

2022 | Gable Steveson | Minnesota
2021 | Gable Steveson | Minnesota (tie)
2021 | Spencer Lee | Iowa (tie)
2020 | Spencer Lee | Iowa
2019 | Bo Nickal | Penn State
2018 | Zain Retherford | Penn State
2017 | Zain Retherford | Penn State
2016 | Alex Dieringer | Oklahoma State
2015 | Logan Stieber | Ohio State
2014 | David Taylor | Penn State
2013 | Kyle Dake | Cornell
2012 | David Taylor | Penn State
2011 | Jordan Burroughs | Nebraska
2010 | Jayson Ness | Minnesota
2009 | Jake Herbert | Northwestern
2008 | Brent Metcalf | Iowa
2007 | Ben Askren | Missouri
2006 | Ben Askren | Missouri
2005 | Steve Mocco | Oklahoma State
2004 | Emmett Willson | Mont. St.-Northern
2003 | Eric Larkin | Arizona State
2002 | Cael Sanderson | Iowa State
2001 | Cael Sanderson | Iowa State
2001 | Nick Ackerman | Simpson College
2000 | Cael Sanderson | Iowa State
1999 | Stephen Neal | Cal State Bakersfield
1998 | Mark Ironside | Iowa
1997 | Kerry McCoy | Penn State
1996 | Les Gutches | Oregon State
1995 | T.J. Jaworsky | North Carolina

For more details on each individual winner, visit WIN Magazine’s Hodge Trophy site.