STILLWATER, Okla. – Taylor Massa, a high school senior from St. Johns High School in St Johns, Michigan, has been selected as the national winner of the 2012 Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Award presented by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.

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

"Many great high school wrestlers have been nominated for this award and it gives me great pride and honor to be a part of such a prestigious group,” Massa said.  “Dave Schultz was one of the greatest wrestlers of all times. He changed the sport of wrestling forever. To be presented with his award is a great accomplishment to end my high school career.

“I would like to give a special thanks to my coaches Chris Williams, Pat Whitford, and Zane Ballard and my dad, Roger Massa, for helping me become the wrestler and person I am today."

Massa was selected from the 49 state winners and five regional winners that were announced on April 26.

Taylor Massa is a four- time Michigan High School State Champion with a record of 231-0 at St. John’s High School in St. John’s, Michigan. He is a two-time USAW Junior FILA National Champion and a 2011 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team member. He claimed four Cadet National titles (two in freestyle and two in Greco-Roman) and was an Asics 2011 High School Team All-American.

His scholastic and community engagement includes being a member of the St. Johns Renaissance Club, multiple trimester Honor Roll member and Catholic Confirmation Cadet Sponsor. He maintains 3.67 GPA and will attend the University of Michigan this coming fall as a projected 165-174 pounder.

“Taylor Massa is an outstanding recipient of this honor,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “He has balanced his priorities both on and off the mat with a keen sense of purpose in academics, wrestling and his community.”

Massa will attend Honors Weekend on June 1-2 to accept the award. The following is a list of previous award winners:

Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Winners

1996 David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa

1997 Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio

1998 Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appelton, Wisconsin

and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah

1999 Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas

2000 Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina

2001 Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey

2002 Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma

2003 C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio

2004 Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania

2005 Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York

2006 David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida

2007 Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellog High School, Wabasha, Minnesota

2008 Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah

2009 David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio

2010 Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio

2011 Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California

 

Released: April 26, 2012

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has selected its 2012 state and regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. The award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 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, citizenship and community service.

A graduate of Palo Alto High School in California and the University of Oklahoma, Dave Schultz was regarded as a tireless competitor and a supreme technician on the mat. He was beloved throughout the world of amateur wrestling for his friendliness and his eagerness to lend help or advice to teammates and opponents alike. Schultz was tragically murdered in 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997.

“Dave Schultz was one of the most respected wrestlers the United States has ever had as a high school, collegiate, world and Olympic champion ,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Since the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award’s inception in 1996, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has recognized 726 student-wrestlers. The national award winner will be chosen from the regional winners and announced on April 30. The winner will attend the annual hall of fame induction ceremony on June 1 and 2 to accept the award.

“These student-wrestlers are role models who influence young people in a very meaningful way,” said Smith. “Statistics show that both male and female students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and become more productive citizens when they participate in extra-curricular activities and after school programs like wrestling.”

The five regional winners are:

Central Region: Kyle Crutchmer is a two-time Oklahoma High School State Champion with a career record of 155-19 with 78 career pins at Tulsa Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He claimed four USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle All-American honors and a 2011 National Jr. Freestyle title. He also earned two FILA Cadet All-American honors. He was selected to the 2012 Dapper Dan USA Team and is a member of the Tulsa Union High School Leadership Program and Redskin Aid Opportunity Team. He maintains a 3.3 GPA and will be attending Oklahoma State University this coming fall as a projected 165-184 pounder.

Midwest Region: Taylor Massa is a four- time Michigan High School State Champion with a record of 231-0 at St. John’s High School in St. John’s, Michigan. He is a two-time USAW Junior FILA National Champion and a 2011 FILA Junior Freestyle World Team member. He claimed four Cadet National titles and was an Asics first team All-American. He is also a member of the St. John’s High School Renaissance Club, multiple trimester Honor Roll member, and Catholic Confirmation Cadet Sponsor. He maintains 3.67 GPA and will attend the University of Michigan this coming fall as a projected 165-174 pounder.

Northeast Region: Jimmy Gulibon is a four-time Pennsylvania High School State Champion with a career record of 137-4 at Derry High School in Derry, Pennsylvania. He claimed an individual title at the 2011 Ironman Championships and was selected for the 2012 Dapper Dan Pennsylvania Team and USA Dream Team Classic. He is a member of the Derry High School Honor Roll and spearheaded a fundraising effort for pediatric cancer patients this past wrestling season in Derry. He volunteers his services with local youth at the Young Guns Wrestling Club. He maintains a 3.5 GPA and will be attending Penn State University this coming fall as a projected 125-133 pounder.

Southeast Region: Rossi Bruno is a five-time Florida High School State Champion with a career record of 248-3 at Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida. He was selected for the 2012 USA Dream Team Classic. He was a 2011 and 2010 USAW Junior Greco-Roman National Champion and a 2011 Junior Freestyle All-American. Bruno is a certified USA Wrestling Official and has officiated for the Florida Armature Wrestling Association in State Tournaments. He is a member of Brandon High School National Honor Society and maintains a 4.3 weighted GPA. He will be attending the University of Michigan this coming fall as a projected 125-133 pounder.

West Region: Jordan Rogers is a three-time Washington High School State Champion at Meade High School in Spokane, Washington. He was selected to the 2012 USA Dapper Dan and USA Dream Team Classic. He’s earned USAW Junior and Cadet Freestyle and Greco-Roman All-American honors and claimed a Silver Medal at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in freestyle. He’s a member and leader of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Meade H.S. and is an Athlete Representative for USA Wrestling Washington, Volunteer Coach for the Big Cat Youth Wrestling Club, and Associated Student Body Member at Meade High School. He maintains a 4.0 GPA and will attend Oklahoma State University this coming fall as a projected 184 pounder.

The 2012 Winners by State, Name and School are:

Alabama, Dillon Campbell, Oak Grove High School

Alaska, Jared Miller, Dillingham High School

Arizona, Trey Andrews, Safford High School

Arkansas, O’Dell Lee, Bryant High School

California, Alex Cisneros, Selma High School

Colorado, Dwight Howes, Arvada High School

Connecticut, R.J. LaBeef, Pomfret School

Delaware, Kaleb LeMaire, Cesar Rodney High School

Florida, Rossi Bruno, Brandon High School

Georgia, Dalvin Tomlinson, Henry County High School

Hawaii, Cassidy Oshiro, Maryknoll School

Idaho, Raymond Evans, New Plymouth High School

Illinois, Zane Richards, Carbondale Community High School

Indiana, Jason Tsirtsis, Crown Point High School

Iowa, John Meeks, Roosevelt High School

Kansas, Matthew Reed, Wichita Heights High School

Kentucky, John Fahy, Trinity High School

Louisiana, Scott Gibbons, Archbishop Rummel High School

Maine, Ethan Gilman, Massabesic High School

Maryland, Nathan Kraisser, Centenial High School

Massachusetts, Jeffery Ott, Belmont Hill School

Michigan, Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School

Minnesota, Brandon Kingsley, Apple Valley High School

Missouri, Austin Roper, Kirksville High School

Montana, Ben Stroh, Chinook High School

Nebraska, Thomas Gilman, Skutt Catholic High School

Nevada, Jace Billingsley, Lowry High School

New Hampshire, Zack Bridson, Timberlane High School

New Jersey, Mark Grey, Blair Academy

New Mexico, Eric Montoya, Volcono Vista High School

New York, Brian Realbuto, Somers High School

North Carolina, Tony DeAngelo, Southern Alamance High School

North Dakota, Jared Reis, Napoleon High School

Ohio, Nick Tavanello, Wadsworth High School

Oklahoma, Kyle Crutchmer, Tulsa Union High School

Oregon, Zack Brunson, Churchill High School

Pennsylvania, Jimmy Gulibon, Derry High School

Rhode Island, Stephen Jarrell, East Greewich High School

South Carolina, Jordon Wigger, Summerville High School

South Dakota, Alex Kocer, Wagner High School

Tennessee, Zach Watson, Baylor School

Texas, Nicholas Herrmann, Tascosa High School

Utah, Brandon McBride, Olympus High School

Vermont, Zak Hale, Mt Anthony Union High School

Virginia, Brooks Martino, Robinson Secondary School

Washington, Jordan Rogers, Mead High School

West Virginia, Dylan Cottrell, Roane County High School

Wisconsin, Jarod Donar, Cuba City High School

Wyoming, Jordan Hanson, Lander Valley High School