VOTING LINK: https://www.win-
The finalists have been announced for the 2025 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented annually by ASICS Wrestling to the nation’s top NCAA Division I wrestler.
The coveted trophy was created in 1994 by former WIN founder Mike Chapman and named after Dan Hodge, the late three-time NCAA champion (1955-57) from the University of Oklahoma.
In addition to former Hodge Trophy winners, a retired coach from each region, a representative of each national wrestling organization and national media members, wrestling fans can once again be part of the voting as well. The week following the NCAAs, fans will be able to vote online at WIN-Magazine.com with the winner earning five first-place votes.
Like the Heisman, the Hodge is a season-season award given to the wrestler who gets the most amount of first-place votes from the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee and Fan Vote based on these criteria: record, dominance/bonus-point percentage, quality of competition and sportsmanship.
Wrestlers who have won multiple Hodge Trophies are given a vote for each year they won the award.
The 2025 Hodge winner will be announced at 12 pm CST on Monday, March 31.
Statistical Look at Notable 2025 Hodge Trophy Finalists
The three finalists below are the only undefeated 2025 NCAA DI champions.
The list includes how many pins (P), tech falls (TF), major decisions (MD) and Forfeits/Defaults (F/Def) each wrestler accumulated during the 2024-25 season. The final stat is their bonus-point percentage showing the percentage of their total matches in which they've scored bonus points.
|
Name |
School |
Year |
W-L |
Pins |
TF |
MD |
F/Def |
Bonus % |
165 pounds
|
Mitchell Mesenbrink |
Penn State |
So. |
27-0 |
0 |
18 |
3 |
3 |
88.9% |
184 pounds
|
Carter Starocci |
Penn State |
RSSr. |
26-0 |
6 |
10 |
5 |
1 |
84.6% |
Heavyweight
|
Wyatt Hendrickson |
Oklahoma State |
Sr. |
27-0 |
13 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
81.5% |
Source: wrestlestat.com
Quality of Competition Statistics
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State)
Results against 2025 NCAA qualifiers
· Record: 13-0
Bonus Breakdown:
· 0 falls
· 6 tech falls
· 3 majors
· 1 injury default
· 3 decisions
2024-25 wins against 2025 All-Americans: 5
· 3-0 vs. Michael Caliendo (Iowa)
o W 8-2; W 4-1; W 19-4 (6:24)
· 1-0 vs. Christopher Minto (Nebraska)
o W 13-2
· 1-0 vs. Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State)
o W 5-0
Bonus Breakdown:
· 0 falls
· 1 tech fall
· 1 major
· 0 injury defaults
· 3 decisions
2024-2025 wins against former NCAA champs: 0
2024-2025 wins against former All-Americans: 4
· 3-0 vs. 3x AA Michael Caliendo (Iowa)
o W 8-2; W 4-1; W TF 19-4 (6:24)
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State)
o W 5-0
184: Carter Starocci (Penn State)
Results against 2025 NCAA qualifiers
· Record: 14-0
Bonus Breakdown:
· 0 falls
· 6 tech falls
· 4 majors
· 1 disqualification
· 3 decisions
2024-25 wins against 2025 All-Americans: 8
· 3-0 vs. Jaxon Smith (Maryland)
o W 20-3 (6:45); W 12-2; W 9-1
· 1-0 vs. Donnell Washington (Indiana)
o W 18-1 (4:54)
· 1-0 vs. Silas Allred (Nebraska)
o W 11-2
· 1-0 vs. Max McEnelly (Minnesota)
o W 8-5 SV-1
· 1-0 vs. Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)
o W 9-3
· 1-0 vs. Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)
o W 4-3
Bonus Breakdown:
· 0 falls
· 2 tech falls
· 3 majors
· 0 injury defaults
· 3 decisions
2024-2025 wins against former NCAA champs: 1
· 1-0 vs. 5x AA and 1x champ Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)
o W 4-3
2024-2025 wins against former All-Americans: 3
· 1-0 vs. 5x AA Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa)
o W 4-3
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State)
o W 9-3
· 1-0 vs. 1x AA Edmond Ruth (Illinois)
o W DQ (Stalling)
285: Wyatt Hendrickson (Oklahoma State)
Results against 2025 NCAA Qualifiers
· Record: 17-0
Bonus Breakdown:
· 7 falls
· 4 tech falls
· 0 majors
· 1 injury default
· 5 decisions
2024-25 wins against 2025 All-Americans: 8
· 1-0 vs. Gable Steveson (Minnesota)
o W 5-4
· 1-0 vs. Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
o W 8-2
· 3-0 vs. Isaac Trumble (NC State)
o W Fall (2:15); W W 10-4; W Fall (2:35)
· 2-0 vs. Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State)
o W 8-5; W 11-5
· 1-0 vs. Ben Kueter (Iowa)
o W TF 18-3 (5:00)
Bonus Breakdown:
· 2 falls
· 1 tech fall
· 0 majors
· 0 injury defaults
· 5 decisions
2024-2025 wins against former NCAA champs: 2
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA and 2x champ Gable Steveson (Minnesota)
o W 5-4
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA and 1x champ Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
o W 8-2
2024-2025 wins against former All-Americans: 5
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA and 2x Champ Gable Steveson (Minnesota)
o W 5-4
· 1-0 vs. 4x AA and 1x Champ Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)
o W 8-2
· 2-0 vs. 5x AA Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State)
o W 8-5; W 11-5
· 1-0 vs. 1x AA Nick Feldman (Ohio State)
o W injury default
All-Time Dan Hodge Trophy Winners
|
Year |
Name |
School |
|
2024 |
Aaron Brooks |
Penn State |
|
2023 |
Mason Parris |
Michigan |
|
2022 |
Gable Steveson |
Minnesota |
|
2021 |
Spencer Lee |
Iowa |
|
& |
Gable Steveson |
Minnesota |
|
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 U. |
|
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. State-Northern |
|
2003 |
Eric Larkin |
Arizona State |
|
2002 |
Cael Sanderson |
Iowa State |
|
2001 |
Cael Sanderson |
Iowa State |
|
& |
Nick Ackerman |
Simpson College |
|
2000 |
Cael Sanderson |
Iowa State |
|
1999 |
Stephen Neal |
CSU Bakersfield |
|
1998 |
Mark Ironside |
Iowa |
|
1997 |
Kerry McCoy |
Penn State |
|
1996 |
Les Gutches |
Oregon State |
|
1995 |
T.J. Jaworsky |
North Carolina |
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