ASICS Race for the Hodge Trophy, Jan. 20

The following is a list of the top Division I wrestlers who are undefeated and could win the 2014 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The statistics are through Jan. 19.

1. David Taylor, Penn State, 165 pounds, 20-0, 10 pins, 6 TF, 4 MD

The 2012 Hodge Trophy winner told the NCAA.com he wants to cherish every moment of his final season and is expected to become just the 15^th four-time finalist. http://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2014-01-16/i-am-going-cherish-every-moment

2. Andrew Howe, Oklahoma, 174 pounds, 15-0, 5 pins, 4 TF, 3 MD

The former national champ and three-time All-American transfer from Wisconsin and native of Cedar Lake, Ind., scored a major decision against Northern Iowa’s Cody Caldwell last Sunday.

3. Mitchell Port, Edinboro, 141 pounds, 18-0, 9 pins, 2 TF, 3 MD

The 2013 national runner-up from Bellefonte, Pa., defeated nationally-ranked Dan Neff of Lock Haven with a takedown and a 1:12 riding-time advantage.

4. James Green, Nebraska, 157 pounds, 22-0, 4 pins, 3 TF, 5 MD

The two-time All-American from Willingboro, N.J., has now defeated Iowa’s defending NCAA champ Derek St. John twice in the past two years; the latest coming last Sunday by a 9-7 margin on the strength of four takedowns.

5. Adam Coon, Michigan, Heavyweight, 22-0, 6 pins, 0 TF, 3 MD

It’s one thing for a lightweight to excel as a true freshman, but what this native of Fowlerville, Mich., is doing in his rookie season is remarkable; especially after he added his biggest win of the season … over Minnesota’s two-time defending champ Anthony Nelson last Sunday in double overtime.

6. Zain Retherford, Penn State, 141 pounds, 20-0, 3 pins, 2 TF, 6 MD

The true freshman from Benton, Pa., has matched his teammate and former Hodge winner David Taylor in wins this season. Since beating two-time NCAA champ Logan Stieber of Ohio State in December, the Lion has pinned one foe and outscored eight others by a 64-17 margin and scored in double figures in each of his last three bouts.

7. Jimmy Sheptock, Maryland, 184 pounds, 20-0, 4 pins, 4 TF, 4 MD

One of this season’s victories by the two-time ACC champion from Northampton, Pa., was a 5-3 win over No. 3 Cornell’s Gabe Dean, who beat Penn State’s Ed Ruth in the finals of the Southern Scuffle.

The ASICS Race for the Hodge Trophy Update ranks the contenders for the 2014 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The rankings are compiled from the current season’s numbers through January 19 and based on dominance and the total number of matches.

Like the Heisman Trophy, the official selection is made by the 44-person Hodge Voting Committee, which is made up of all former Hodge winners, some members of the national wrestling media, retired college coaches from different regions of the country, a representative from a number of national wrestling organizations and two votes from a composite fan vote through WIN’s website.

The official announcement is made the week following the 2014 NCAA Division I Championships, which will be held in Oklahoma City, March 20-22.