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Dave Schultz High School Excellence regional and state award winners announced

Dylan Ness represents Minnesota, Tyler Lehmann represents North Dakota

April 13, 2010

By National Wrestling Hall of Fame

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has selected its 2010 state and regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award as part of its Educational Outreach Program. Forty-nine seniors from those states that sponsor high school state wrestling championships have been chosen for the honor.

The High School Excellence Award is named in honor of the late Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz. Each award recipient is evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship, and community service.

“A graduate of Palo Alto High School and the University of Oklahoma, Dave Schultz was one of the most respected high school, collegiate, and international wrestlers the United States has ever had,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Regarded as a tireless competitor and supreme technician on the mat, Schultz was beloved throughout the world of amateur wrestling for his friendliness and eagerness to lend help or advice to teammates and opponents alike. Schultz passed away in 1996. He was inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997.

Since the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award’s inception in 1996, the Wrestling Hall of Fame has recognized 628 student-wrestlers. The national award winner will be chosen from the state and regional winners and announced on April 20. The winner will attend Honors Weekend on June 4 and 5 to personally accept the award.

For the fourth straight year, the High School Excellence program will include a leadership camp for those individuals selected for the award.

“Thanks to a grant from a private foundation, we are pleased to provide the winners of our Dave Schultz Award with the opportunity to attend an all-expense-paid leadership camp from June 14-17 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.,” Smith said.

USA Wrestling, the sport’s governing body, will host the camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

“USA Wrestling is excited to join the Hall of Fame in providing a world-class program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center for the student-athletes chosen to participate in this camp,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “As the home for the Olympic movement, this is an appropriate location to inspire the nation’s best wrestlers to reach for new heights. We are proud to work with these talented athletes and young leaders.”

The camp agenda will include instructional sessions with USA Wrestling’s freestyle and Greco Roman national coaches and wrestlers, and will also feature presentations on sport psychology, strength and conditioning, nutrition, leadership development and public speaking, all presented by experts in the field.

Part of the foundation’s funding criteria requires that, prior to the camp, the award winners speak to youth groups in their communities on the benefits of participating in extracurricular activities like athletics.

Smith said the leadership and public speaking sessions will help student-athletes become more effective in sharing their personal success stories with young people.

“These student-wrestlers are role models in their communities and have an opportunity to influence young people in a very meaningful way. Statistics show that both male and female students are more likely to stay in school, graduate, and become more productive citizens when they are involved in extra curricular activities and after school programs like sports, theater, debate and music.”

The five regional winners are:

Northeast Region -- Andrew Alton compiled a record of 178-8 winning the State Championship as a Junior and Senior. As a senior, he was honored with the “Most Outstanding Wrestler” award while competing in the 145 pound weight class. He is also the 2008 and 2009 Junior National freestyle champion and placed second in the 2008 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman. In addition, Alton was the Runner Up in the 2009 FILA Junior Championships. In 2007, he was the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet Nationals champion and also the 2006 Cadet Nationals Freestyle Champion. He volunteers with helping the Mat-town Wrestling Club in Lock Haven, Penn., and is a member of the Ski Club and Key Club at Central Mountain High School. He carries a 92.956 weighted G.P.A. and will be attending Pennsylvania State University this fall.

Midwest Region -- Logan Stieber is from Monroeville High School in Monroeville, Ohio and has amassed a career record of 184-1. He is a four-time state high school champion and was named Ohio Wrestler of the Year in 2010. Stieber also is a three-time USA Wrestling National champion in freestyle as well as a National Champion in Greco-Roman on the Cadet and Junior levels. In addition, he is a FILA Junior National Champion in Freestyle and placed third in the US Senior Freestyle Open and fourth in the Senior World Team Trials in 2009. Stieber also participates with other activities such as Spanish Club, FFA, Renaissance, and is a member of the Student Council. He was also the class Vice President for the 2009-2010 academic year. His academic achievements include a 3.78 G.P.A, recipient of the Presidential Education Academic Award, the Award of Merit, Wendy’s Heisman Award as well as being a member of the National Honors Society. He will be attending Ohio State University this fall.

Central Region -- Justin DeAngelis compiled a career record of 100-11 for Jenks High School. He is a three-time State Champion and was named Outstanding Wrestler in 2010. Other honors include a three-time All –Conference Team, and the Junior National Freestyle All-American. In addition, DeAngelis was named the 2010 Tulsa World Wrestler of the Year was the Runner-Up for the Reno Tournament of Champions. He is currently ranked eighth in the United States in most polls. DeAngelis has served as a volunteer for the Education of Exceptional Child program as well as volunteered with the Jenks underclassman wrestling program. He also participates in the Jenks Drama Club. He maintains a G.P.A. of 3.25 and plans to attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall.

West Region -- Ryak Finch is from Safford High School in Safford, Ariz. He is a three-time State Champion and a double Junior Nationals Champion in 2009 for both Freestyle and Greco-Roman. He was also a two-time Junior Nationals Runner-Up. In addition, Finch was named the 2009 3A South Wrestler of the Year and the 2010 Arizona Republic Wrestler of the Year. He is also a member of the 2010 Dream Team USA. His community service includes being Assistant Coach for the Arizona Heat Wrestling Club and he participates in the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church Youth Group. Finch also participates in the Safford High School Band and was 2009-2010 Drum Line Section Leader. He maintains a 3.86 weighted G.P.A. and is ranked in the top 15 percent of his class. He plans to attend Iowa State University this fall.

Southeast Region -- Devin Carter is from Christiansburg High School in Christiansburg, Va. Amassing a career record of 199-15, he won three high school State Championships and placed second at the Junior Nationals in 2009. In addition, he was the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet Wrestler of the year in 2008 and the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Junior Wrestler of the year in 2009. Carter was also a member of the Cadet & Junior National Teams in his freshman and sophomore years. His community service involves volunteering with the Montgomery County Food Drive and assisting with the Coaching Recreation League in Wrestling. Carter currently maintains a 4.0 G.P.A. and is a member of the National Honors Society. He will graduate in the top 10 of his class and plans to attend Virginia Tech this fall where we will pursue a degree in Sports Medicine.

2010 Winners by State, Name and School
Alabama, Tanner Moon, Oak Mountain High School
Alaska, Nathan Hoffer, East Anchorage High School
Arizona, Ryak Finch, Safford High School
Arkansas, Jonathan Buzzitta, North Pulaski High School
California, Bryan Grubbs, La Costa Canyon High School
Colorado, Chad Stroh, Holyoke High School
Connecticut, Charlie Costanzo, Danbury High School
Delaware, Sean Dolan, St. Marks High School
Florida, Joe Cozart, Brandon High School
Georgia, T.J. Mitchell, Collins Hill High School
Hawaii, Tyson Tynanes-Perez, James Campbell High School
Idaho, Trevor Rupp, Pocatello High School
Illinois, Lee Munster, Grant Community High School
Indiana, Francisco Porras, Hobart High School
Iowa, Nick Moore, Iowa City West High School
Kansas, Parker Madl, Blue Valley High School
Kentucky, Brad Hitchings, Trinity High School
Louisiana, Michael Love, Catholic High School
Maine, Matt DelGallo, Gardiner Area High School
Maryland, Adam Krop, Urbana High School
Massachusetts, Derek Papagianopoulos, Buckingham Browne and Nichols School
Michigan, Jackson Morse, Lowell High School
Minnesota, Dylan Ness, Bloomington Kennedy High School
Missouri, Alan Waters, Park Hill High School
Montana, Hunter Azure, Poplar High School
Nebraska, Will Brown, Chadron High School
Nevada, Steven Hernandez, Bishop Gorman High School
New Hampshire, Kyle Gaffney, St. Thomas Aquinas High School
New Jersey, Chris Villalonga, Blair Academy
New Mexico, Louis Trujillo, Rio Rancho High School
New York, Tyler Beckwith, Greene Central School
North Carolina, Dominic Parisi, Jay M. Robinson High School
North Dakota, Tyler Lehmann, West Fargo High School
Ohio, Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School
Oklahoma, Justin DeAngelis, Jenks High School
Oregon, Alex Elder, West Salem High School
Pennsylvania, Andrew Alton, Central Mountain High School
Rhode Island, Jaron Parent, Cumberland High School
South Carolina, Michael Young, Fort Dorchester High School
South Dakota, Robert Kokesh, Wagner High School
Tennessee, Cameron Croy, Brentwood High School
Texas, Troy Silver, Bishop Lynch High School
Utah, Carson Kuhn, Alta High School
Vermont, Steven Rich, Spaulding High School
Virginia, Devin Carter, Christiansburg High School
Washington, Derek Garcia, Sedro-Woolley High School
West Virginia, Tyler Green, Parkersburg South High School
Wisconsin, Alex Polizzi, Beloit Memorial High School
Wyoming, Andrew McCulley, Rock Springs High School