ORDER GAME PHOTOS

The National Wrestling Hall-of-Fame in Oklahoma recently announced the 2024 state winners of the Dave Schultz (Boys) and Tricia Saunders (Girls) High School Excellence Awards. The “Excellence Awards” are presented annually to the top senior from each of the fifty states based on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement, and citizenship or community service. Additionally, regional winners for both awards are selected from state winners, and the national winners will be chosen from the regional winners. The 50 states are represented within the following regions:

WEST (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

MIDWEST (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

CENTRAL (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

SOUTHEAST (11) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

NORTHEAST (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The list of past state award winners from Idaho is impressive and consists of several outstanding wrestlers that went on to earn collegiate level success as well as All-American honors. They include Jared Lawrence (Sandpoint H.S./University of Minnesota) Jake Rosholt (Sandpoint H.S./Oklahoma State), Adam Hall (Bonners Ferry H.S./Boise State), Casey Randles (Coeur d’ Alene/Grand View University), and more recently Ridge Lovett (Post Falls H.S./University of Nebraska) and Cierra Foster (Post Falls H.S./Oklahoma City University) to name a few. The 2024 winners for the state of Idaho include two of the nation’s top ranked wrestlers in Blackfoot’s Mack Mauger (Schultz) and Clare Waite (Saunders) of Boise High School.

Rated among the top lightweights in the state of Idaho and country, Mack Mauger has had quite an impressive prep wrestling career since first taking the mat at an earlier age. A commit to the University of Missouri, Mack is a 5x Fargo Champion and to date has earned a total of eight national level titles in the Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Folkstyle. Additionally, he is a 4x Idaho State Champion in the 4A division and winner of the Triple Crown Award three times (Freestyle, Greco, and Folkstyle) in addition to earning multiple medals at two of the nation’s top high school tournaments in the Doc Buchanan Invitational in California and Walsh Ironman in Ohio, respectively. On top of that, Mack is an honor student and is actively involved with his church and community Service. To sum things up, the Class of 2024 is by far one of the most competitive and accomplished class of nominees in Idaho History and to be chosen the top pick among this elite group speaks volumes. Congratulations Mack!!

A leader in the classroom and on the mat, Boise High School’s Clare Waite is very deserving of this honor. Her commitment to excellence has paid off and is reflected by the accolades and achievements she has earned to date. On the mat, Waite is a two-time District 3 Champion, two-time State Champion (3x finalist), and multiple prep level All-American, which includes Fargo, NHSCA High School Nationals, and US Open to name a few. Additionally, she has earned titles at the Rollie Lane, Jaybird Invitational, Tiger Grizz, Idaho FS/GR State, USA Western States in addition to being selected SIC District III Wrestler of the Year for the Girl’s division.

Academically, Waite’s accolades are equally impressive. They include an impressive 4.19 GPA (includes AP courses in several subjects), President’s Award for Educational Excellence-Outstanding Academic Excellence 2021, IHSAA Outstanding Individual Scholastic Award (3.75-4.00) March 2022, March 2023, IHSAA Distinguished Team Scholastic Award (3.5-4.0) March 2023, IHSAA Achievement in Fields of Scholarship & Activities March 2023. Clare will continue her academic and wrestling career at North Central College in Illinois. Congratulations Clare!!

Below is a list of past Idaho recipients of these prestigious awards since the late 1990s. 

DAVE SCHULTZ EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS (IDAHO)

Aden Attao (Borah), 2023

Rylan Rogers (Couer d’ Alene), 2022

Drew Roberts (Couer d’ Alene), 2021

Sawyer Hobbs (South Fremont), 2020 *NAIA AA

Ridge Lovett (Post Falls), 2019 *2X NCAA AA (DI)

Joseph Rice (New Plymouth), 2018

Casey Randles (Couer d’ Alene), 2017 *NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPION/2X AA

Tucker Leavitt (Highland), 2016

Seth McLeod (Post Falls), 2015

Hayden Tuma (Centennial), 2014

Jared Johnshoy (Melba), 2013

Raymond Evans (New Plymouth), 2012

Tanner Hall (Meridian), 2011 *NCAA AA (DI)

Trevor Rupp (Pocatello), 2010

Kyle Johnshoy (Melba), 2009

Jacob Scharbrough (Weiser), 2008

Kirk Smith (Centennial), 2007 *2X NCAA AA (DI)

Adam Hall (Bonners Ferry), 2006 *2X NCAA AA (DI)

Luke Smith (Idaho Falls), 2005

Nicholas Smith (Centennial), 2004

Jordan Johns (Aberdeen), 2003

Tony Hook (Sandpoint), 2002

Jake Rosholt (Sandpoint), 2001 *3X NCAA CHAMPION/4X AA (DI)

Lex Case (North Fremont), 2000

Jonathan Padgett (Fruitland), 1999

Jared Lawrence (Sandpoint), 1998 *NCAA CHAMPION/4X AA (DI)

TRICIA SAUNDERS AWARD WINNERS (IDAHO)

Alyssa Randles (Couer d’ Alene), 2023

Marissa Jimenez (Caldwell), 2022

Hannah Dupay (Meridian), 2021

Payton Lanningham (Columbia), 2020

Hannah Harvey (St. Maries), 2019

Lana Hunt-Waddoups (Blackfoot), 2018

Cierra Foster (Post Falls), 2017 *NAIA AA

ABOUT THE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

DAVE SCHULTZ HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE AWARD

The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, presented annually to a male high school senior, is based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service. The national winner is selected from state and regional winners.

The award was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.

TRICIA SAUNDERS HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE AWARD

The Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, presented annually to a female high school senior, is based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service. The national winner is selected from state and regional winners.

First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.