WIN’s 2025-26 Race for the Dan Hodge Trophy Preseason Front-runners

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 1, the High School and College Preview Edition, which was published Oct. 10, 2025. 

The Dan Hodge Trophy, sponsored by WIN Magazine and Culture House and presented by ASICS, will be awarded after the NCAA Championships to the most dominant college wrestler.

Created by WIN founder Mike Chapman in 1995, the award is named after the late Dan Hodge, the three-time NCAA champion from the University of Oklahoma (1955-57) who never allowed a takedown in his career, pinning 36 of 46 opponents.

In addition to the fan vote, the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee, made up of all past winners of the award, former coaches and national media members vote for the winner each year. Criteria for winning the award includes a wrestler’s record, dominance/bonus-point percentage, quality of competition and sportsmanship.

The following returning and defending national champions, who are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes, are considered preseason front-runners to win the 2026 Dan Hodge Trophy. The following is a breakdown of their bonus-point victories in their career, including pins (P), technical falls (TF) and major decisions (MD), and what percentage of their total matches are bonus-point wins.