The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced that Marcus Blaze of Perrysburg, Ohio is the 2025 national winner of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA). 

The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation. 

“I’m incredibly honored to receive the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award,” said Blaze. “Dave Schultz was not only a phenomenal wrestler, but a phenomenal person. 

“I am thankful for my family, coaches and friends. Grateful for all the opportunities and mentors I have today. Blessed for the moments God gives me,” he added. “Being recognized in Dave Schultz’s name means a lot to me and I’m really thankful, grateful and blessed.” 

The DSHSEA 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. 

The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. 

The Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced that Piper Fowler of Cleveland, Tennessee is the 2025 national winner of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. 

Blaze and Fowler will be honored during the 48th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 6 and 7 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. To purchase tickets for Honors Weekend, visit https://bit.ly/2025NWHOFHonorsWeekendTickets.

“Marcus should be incredibly proud of the remarkable accomplishments he’s achieved during his high school career,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “His dedication on the wrestling mat, combined with his excellence in the classroom and commitment to his community, truly sets him apart.

“As the newest recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, Marcus joins an elite group of young men whose achievements reflect the very best of our sport,” he added. “We look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish in the future as he continues to embody the values and spirit this award represents.” 

The son of Joe and Addie Blaze, Marcus will continue his career at Penn State University. His older brother, Joey, was an NCAA runner-up for Purdue University in 2025 and was the Ohio winner of the DSHSEA in 2023 and a three-time Ohio state champion. 

Marcus was a four-time Ohio state champion for Perrysburg High School. He had a career record of 200-2, including a 55-0 record as a freshman and 43-0 as a senior, while winning four sectional and four district titles. 

He finished third at 61 kg at last weekend’s Senior National men’s freestyle tournament. 

A gold medalist at the 2023 U17 World Championships, he finished second at the 2024 U.S. World Team Trials and earned a bronze medal at the 2024 U20 World Championships. His most impressive performance, however, was finishing third at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. 

He was a Fargo champion and named Outstanding Wrestler in 2022 and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Ohio state tournament in 2025. Blaze is a four-time champion and two-time Outstanding Wrestler at the Brecksville Holiday Tournament while also winning the Walsh Ironman tournament twice and finishing second and third the other two years. 

He earned Academic All-Ohio honors and was a member of the High Honor Roll all four years. 

Blaze is also a member of DECA, which prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. 

He becomes the sixth national winner from Ohio, joining NCAA champion and Junior World Champion David Carr, Distinguished Member, World Champion and four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber, Olympic gold medalist, three-time World champion and two-time NCAA champion David Taylor, C.P. Schlatter, and Jeff Knupp. 

Ohio has the most national winners with six followed by Oklahoma and Pennsylvania with three and California, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin with two winners each. Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia have each had one winner. 

The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. 

Coleman Scott (2004) and Logan Stieber (2010) became the first DSHSEA national winners to be inducted as Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame when they were inducted in 2024. 

Cael Sanderson, who was the Utah and West Region winner of the DSHSEA in 1997, and Jake Varner, who was the California winner of the DSHEA in 2005, are also Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame. 

National winners of the DSHSEA have combined to win 20 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners David Carr (2018), Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009), Teyon Ware (2002) and Zahid Valencia (2015).

All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award

2025 - Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Ohio
2024 - Aeoden Sinclair, Milton High School, Edgerton, Wisconsin
2023 - Cael Hughes, Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Oklahoma
2022 - Cory Land, Moody High School, Moody, Alabama
2021 - Alex Facundo, Davison High School, Essexville, Michigan
2020 - Braxton Amos, Parkersburg South High School, Mineral Wells, West Virginia (Freestyle Junior World Champion and Greco-Roman Junior World Bronze Medalist)
2019 - Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado (Greco-Roman Cadet World Champion)
2018 - David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio (NCAA Champion and Junior World Champion)
2017 - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (World Silver Medalist, Junior World Champion and 2X Junior World Bronze Medalist)
2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion, 2X Junior World Champion and Cadet World Champion)
2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (2X NCAA Champion and Junior World Silver Medalist)
2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania
2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion)
2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan
2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California
2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (World Champion and 4X NCAA Champion)
2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (Olympic Gold Medalist, 3X World Champion, World Silver Medalist, World Bronze Medalist and 2X NCAA Champion)
2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah
2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota
2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida
2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion)
2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist)
2003 - C.P. Schlatter, St. Paris Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio
2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion)
2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian)
2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina
1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion)
1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian)
1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio
1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa

2025 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award Regional Winners

Central Region – LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Stillwater High School, Oklahoma State University 
Midwest Region – Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg, Ohio, Perrysburg High School, Penn State University 
Northeast Region – PJ Duke, Slate Hill, New York, Minisink Valley High School, Penn State University 
Southeast Region – Dominic Bambinelli, Hoschton, Georgia, Mill Creek High School, University of Missouri 
West Region – Daniel Zepeda, Gilroy, California, Gilroy High School, North Carolina State University

2025 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners 

State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending
Alabama - Yanik Simon, Huntsville High School, Huntsville
Alaska - Jacob Strausbaugh, Soldotna High School, Soldotna, Cornerstone University (Not for Wrestling)
Arizona - Sergio Vega, Sunnyside High School, Tucson, Oklahoma State University
Arkansas - Ryan Rogers, Central Arkansas Christian School, Little Rock, McKendree University
California - Daniel Zepeda, Gilroy High School, Gilroy, North Carolina State University
Colorado - Traven Sharon, Home Schooled, Ordway, University of Wyoming
Connecticut - Scott Romano, Joel Barlow High School, West Redding
Delaware - Malachi Stratton, Sussex Central High School, Frankford
Florida - Maximus Brady, Mariner High School, Cape Coral, University of Northern Iowa
Georgia - Dominic Bambinelli, Mill Creek High School, Hoschton, University of Missouri
Hawaii - Tyger Ta'am, Moanalua High School, Honolulu, Menlo College
Idaho - Matthew Martino, Bishop Kelly High School, Eagle, Princeton University
Illinois - Seth Mendoza, Mount Carmel High School, Mokena, University of Missouri
Indiana - Jake Hockaday, Brownsburg High School, Pittsboro, Nebraska University
Iowa - Kyler Knaack, Don Bosco High School, Gilbertville, University of Northern Iowa
Kansas - Taye Wilson, Pratt High School, Pratt, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Kentucky - Isaac Johns, Woodford County High School, Nicholasville, Bellarmine University
Louisiana - Richie Clementi, Brother Martin High School, Slidell, California Baptist University
Maine - Eli Potter, Wells High School, Wells
Maryland - Calvin Kraisser, Centennial High School, Ellicott City, Frostburg State University
Massachusetts - Sid Tildsley, Shawsheen Tech, Billerica
Michigan - Sebastian Martinez, Gabriel Richard Catholic High School, Lincoln Park, United States Air Force Academy
Minnesota - Landon Robideau, St. Michael-Albertville High School, St. Michael, Oklahoma State University
Mississippi - Jaiden Gipson, Oxford High School, Oxford
Missouri - Hank Benter, Hickman High School, Columbia, University of Missouri
Montana - Zach Morse, Billings West High School, Billings, Northern State University, Aberdeen South Dakota
Nebraska - Tyson Terry, Omaha North High School, Omaha, University of Nebraska
Nevada - Manuel Saldate, Sports Leadership & Management of Nevada, Las Vegas, Oregon State
New Hampshire - David Pento Jr., Londonderry High School, Londonderry
New Jersey - Harvey Ludington, Brick Memorial High School, Brick, University of Iowa
New Mexico - Mason Posa, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, Wisconsin (Football)
New York - PJ Duke, Minisink Valley High School, Slate Hill, Penn State University
North Carolina - Liam Hickey, Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, University of North Carolina
North Dakota - Ben DeForest, Bismarck High School, Bismarck, University of Mary
Ohio - Marcus Blaze, Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Penn State University
Oklahoma - LaDarion Lockett, Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Oklahoma State University
Oregon - Oscar Doces, West Linn High School, West Linn
Pennsylvania - Aaron Seidel, Northern Lebanon High School, Jonestown, Virginia Tech
Rhode Island - Preston Marchessault, Ponaganset High School, Cranston, Brown University
South Carolina - Cason Howle, Greenwood High School, Greenwood, North Carolina State University
South Dakota - Moses Gross, Huron High School, Huron
Tennessee - Maximus Norman, Baylor School, Abingdon, Brown University
Texas - Caio Aron, The Woodlands College Park High School, Willis, California Baptist University
Utah - Geronimo Rivera, Layton High School, Hooper, Utah Valley University
Vermont - Elias Kalat, Spaulding High School, Rochester
Virginia - Tyler Hood, St. Christopher's School, Chesterfield, United States Naval Academy
Washington - Alan Salguero Jr., Orting High School, Puyallup, Colorado Mesa University
West Virginia - Brock Kehler, University High School, Morgantown, West Virginia University
Wisconsin - Daniel Heiser, Evansville High School, Oregon, University of Missouri
Wyoming - Liam Fox, Cheyenne East High School, Cheyenne, Western Wyoming Community College