WATERLOO, Iowa—The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum has selected Brody Teske of Fort Dodge and Alex Thomsen of Underwood as this year’s recipients of the Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year Award.

The Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year Award is given each year to the top high school wrestler in the state of Iowa.

Teske and Thomsen will receive their awards during the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa inductions on Friday, June 8.

Teske won his fourth consecutive state wrestling championship in 2018, winning at 126 pounds which is the fourth different weight class. He won 3A titles in 2015 (106 pounds), 2016 (113 pounds) and 2017 (120 pounds). Teske, who finished his prep career with a record of 177-1 , will continue his wrestling career at Penn State.

Thomsen won his fourth consecutive 1A state wrestling championship in 2018, winning for the third consecutive year at 126 pounds after capturing the title at 113 pounds as a freshman in 2015. Thomsen, who finished his prep career with a record of 190-1, will continue his wrestling career at Nebraska.

Teske and Thomsen were both undefeated entering the 2017-18 season. The pair faced each other twice and each wrestler won once.

Teske defeated Thomsen, 11-9, in the finals of Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic on Dec. 9, 2017, and Thomsen defeated Teske, 10-8 in overtime, in the finals of the Cedar Rapids Jefferson J-Hawk Invitational on Jan. 13, 2018.

This is the first time since the inception of the award in 2015 that two winners will be recognized. Teske and Thomsen are the 26th and 27th wrestlers to win four consecutive Iowa high school state wrestling championships.

“It’s pretty obvious that they both deserve this award since they could have avoided each other and gone undefeated,” said museum namesake Dan Gable. “Instead, they helped promote the sport to a higher degree by stepping onto the mat against each other.”

The award is named after Bob Steenlage, Iowa’s first four-time state wrestling champion. Steenlage competed for Britt High School, winning state titles in 1959 (95 pounds), 1960 (103 pounds), 1961 (112 pounds), and 1962 (120 pounds).

Steenlage wrestled at West Point Military Academy where he went four years without losing a dual meet. He finished third at the 1966 NCAA tournament at 123 pounds to earn All-American honors.

Steenlage is a graduate of the Army’s Airborne and Ranger Schools, and was awarded the Bronze Star medal for his service in the Vietnam War.

The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa inductions will take place at the Prairie Links Golf & Event Center in Waverly, Iowa, on Friday, June 8. For more information contact that National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org.

Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa Class of 2018
John Bowlsby (Iowa)
Kevin Dresser (Iowa)
Chris Bono (Iowa State)
Tony Davis (Northern Iowa)
Bob Roethler (Emmetsburg)
Banach Family (Family Legacy Award)
Charlotte Bailey (Russ Smith Community Impact Award)
Keith Massey (Russ Smith Community Impact Award)
Brad Smith (Bob Siddens Iowa High School Wrestling Coach of the Year)
Brody Teske (Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year)
Alex Thomsen (Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year)

Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year winners
2015: Max Thomsen (Union of LaPorte City)
2016: Carter Happel (Lisbon)
2017: Marcus Coleman (Ames)
2018: Brody Teske (Fort Dodge) and Alex Thomsen (Underwood)