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. 

Nebi Tsarni

Year: 2024
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, Northeast, Maryland

Kira Pipkins

Year: 2023
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, Northeast, New Jersey

Sofia Macaluso

Year: 2022
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, Northeast, New York

Olivia Brown

Year: 2021
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, Central, Oklahoma

Nanea Estrella

Year: 2020
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, West, Hawaii

Emily Shilson

Year: 2019
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, Midwest, Minnesota

Alleida Martinez

Year: 2018
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, West, California

Cierra Foster

Year: 2017
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: National, West, Idaho

Katie Brock

Year: 2016
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: Tennessee

Marizza Birrueta

Year: 2015
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: Washington

Marina Doi

Year: 2014
Award: Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award
Location: California

Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations