Ryan, Walsh & Sparks among WIN’s Additional Postseason Awards

May 20, 2015

NEWTON, Iowa — Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine is pleased to announce its final additional postseason awards for those who accomplished the most and created the greatest moments during 2014-15.

Here is a listing of those award and winners:

• Team Recruiting Rankings – Division I — Delayed announcement for general public; subscriber story in mid-May issue which mails May 21.
• State-by-State High School Wrestlers of the Year — Available by subscription only
• Junior Dan Hodge Trophy — Delayed announcement for non-subscribers
• Dan Gable Coach of the Year — Tom Ryan, Ohio State
• Mike Chapman Impact Award — Delayed announcement for non-subscribers
• Schalles Award (Best Pinner in College) — Taylor Walsh, Indiana
• Junior Schalles Award (Best Pinner in High School) — Delayed announcement for non-subscribers
• Journalist of the Year — Shane Sparks, Big Ten Network & ESPN

In April, WIN announced that Logan Stieber, the four-time NCAA champion from Ohio State, won the Dan Hodge Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler by WIN, Culture House and ASICS.

Meanwhile, WIN columnist Kyle Klingman announces the 2014-15 WINNIES in the May issue as well, a fun collection of great wrestling moments from the past 12 months.

May Issue Award Stories:

Top 25 Team Recruiting Rankings – Division I – announced in May issue; detailed breakdowns of each team’s class and their credentials and prospective college weights are provided by WIN High School Editor Rob Sherrill

State-by-State High School Wrestler of the Year – article released only through May issue to subscribers. Find out who Sherrill feels is the No. 1 prep in each state.

Junior Hodge Trophy — announced in May issue to subscribers

Tom Ryan led the Buckeyes to their first-ever NCAA team title and became just the 12^th different school to accomplish that moment this past March in St. Louis, Mo. The native of Long Island, N.Y., credits Gable — his college coach at Iowa, where Ryan earned two All-American honors — for also teaching him leadership and how to treat all wrestlers on a team differently.

Mike Chapman Impact of the Year Award — announced in May issue to subscribers

Taylor Walsh, a native of Cherry Park, N.J., became the third wrestler to win the Schalles Award, named after Wade Schalles, the former NCAA champion and all-time top collegiate pinner from Clarion. But more importantly, Walsh — who led the nation with 22 falls — earned his first All-American honor this past winter by finishing his career as an NCAA finalist at 165 pounds.

Jr. Schalles Award — announced in May issue to subscribers

Shane Sparks, a native of Wisconsin, spent his fourth straight year providing matside interviews for the Big Ten Network, which covered 14 different events this past winter, as well as provided commentary for ESPN3 at the 2015 NCAA Championships. The 39-year-old Sparks lives up to his stage name by adding plenty of enthusiasm during his many interviews with wrestlers and coaches after great moments on the mat.

More in-depth stories on all these award winners can be found in the recent issue of WIN, which was mailed on May 21 and available in digital form on May 20. To subscribe to WIN, call 888-305-0606 or go online at: https://secure.msdservices.com/winmagazine/subscribe/.