Sensational Six: ASICS’ Race for Hodge Trophy

The following is an alphabetical listing of the front-runners for the 2014 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The breakdown lists each wrestler’s quality wins and statistics through Feb. 2.

James Green, Nebraska, 157 pounds, 25-0, 4 pins, 3 TF, 6 MD

Quality Wins by the Husker, a two-time All-American: defeated 2013 NCAA champion Derek St. John, 9-7, on Jan. 17; defeated Indiana’s Taylor Walsh — the 2013-14 NCAA leader in pins (22) — by a 7-1 score on Jan. 10

Andrew Howe, Oklahoma, 174 pounds, 17-0, 5 pins, 4 TF, 5 MD

Quality Wins by the Sooner, the 2010 NCAA champion and three-time All-American:  defeated 2013 NCAA champion Chris Perry, 4-2, on Dec. 1; defeated Nebraska All-American Robert Kokesh, 3-2, on Dec. 6.

Mitchell Port, Edinboro, 141 pounds, 21-0, 10 pins, 2 TF, 3 MD

Quality Wins by the Fighting Scot, a 2013 NCAA runner-up: pinned Iowa’s Josh Dziewa on Dec. 5; defeated Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate, 5-1, on Jan. 11.

Zain Retherford, Penn State, 141 pounds, 23-0, 4 pins, 2 TF, 7 MD

Quality Wins by the Nittany Lion, a true freshman, who wrestled last year for Benton (Pa.) High School: defeated two-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber, 4-2, in overtime on Dec. 15; defeated Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate, 2-0, on Jan. 1.

Jimmy Sheptock, Maryland, 184 pounds, 22-0, 4 pins, 4 TF, 5 MD

Quality Wins by the Terp, who finished sixth nationally last year: defeated All-American Ethen Lofthouse of Iowa in the finals of the Midlands, Dec. 30; defeated Cornell’s Gabe Dean, 5-3, on Dec. 1

David Taylor, Penn State, 165 pounds, 23-0, 11 pins, 7 TF, 5 MD

Quality Wins by the Nittany Lion, 2012 Hodge Trophy winner & three-time NCAA finalist:  won by major decision over Oklahoma State’s Tyler Caldwell, 9-1, on Jan. 2 at Southern Scuffle; won by major decision over Iowa’s Nick Moore, 12-3, on Dec. 21.

The ASICS Race for the Hodge Trophy Update lists the contenders for the 2014 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The list is compiled from the current season’s numbers through February 1 and is based on dominance and the total number of matches. Results include action from the NWCA All-Star Classic in November.

Like the Heisman Trophy, the official selection is made by the 44-person Hodge Voting Committee, which is made up of all former Hodge winners, some members of the national wrestling media, retired college coaches from different regions of the country, a representative from a number of national wrestling organizations and two votes from a composite fan vote through WIN’s website.

The official announcement is made the week following the 2014 NCAA Division I Championships, which will be held in Oklahoma City, March 20-22.