Penn State wrestling: Four Nittany Lions named Hodge Trophy finalists

Penn State wrestling finished off a dominant NCAA Championships this weekend, winning the program’s third consecutive National Championship, the 11th in 13 years. The Nittany Lions‘ record-breaking performance in Kansas City was due in large part to the efforts of individual National Champions Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks, and Greg Kerkvliet. Now, the Penn State wrestlers have a chance to earn the highest honor in college wrestling, as the four have all been named finalists for the 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy.

Four Nittany Lions named finalists for 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy

The Dan Hodge Trophy honors the top college wrestler each year. Established in 1995, it is named after Dan Hodge, an NCAA Champion and Olympic medalist who is widely considered an ambassador for the sport of wrestling.

The Hodge Trophy is wrestling’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy in college football. The trophy has only been awarded to two wrestlers in the same season twice, in 2001 and in 2021.

Nittany Lions head coach Cael Sanderson is the only three-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner, taking home the prize in 2000, 2001, and 2002 at Iowa State. Penn State wrestling has had four different winners: Kerry McCoy (1997), David Taylor (2012, 2014), Zain Retherford (2017, 2018), and Bo Nickal (2019). The six trophies won by the Nittany Lions are the most of any program.

There’s a high likelihood that Penn State wrestling will add to its number of award winners this year, as Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks, and Greg Kerkvliet were named four of the five finalists for the 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy. The only non-Nittany Lion finalist is Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa.

It's time for fans to start voting on winner of 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy. https://t.co/xxfnVZVq4u

— WIN Magazine (@WINWrestlingMag) March 26, 2024

Penn State finalists put up banner seasons

Levi Haines capped off his sophomore season with a 23-0 record and a 65% bonus percentage, winning his first National Championship. Haines has established himself as a reliable option for the Nittany Lions in the middle of the lineup, and will be a favorite to repeat heading into next season.

Carter Starocci finished the year with a 17-2 record and a 65% bonus percentage. His only two losses were injury defaults at the Big Ten Championships. After injuring his knee in the regular season finale, Starocci battled through the NCAA Championships to capture his fourth title, joining the elite four-timers club in college wrestling.

Aaron Brooks went 22-0 in 2024 with a 91% bonus percentage. Brooks joined the four-timers club moments after Starocci, also capturing his fourth National Championship. He was perhaps the most dominant of the four Nittany Lions this season, not surrending a takedown.

Greg Kerkvliet finished the season with a 20-0 record and a 70% bonus percentage. The Penn State heavyweight avenged his finals loss from last season to bring home his first national title in dominant fashion with a 13-4 major decision on Saturday.

Voting for the 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy is currently open to the public. The winner will be announced on Monday, April 1.

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