WIN Magazine’s Annual Awards Issue is now available

Updated: May 29, 2024

For most in wrestling, the 2023-24 college/high school season has come to an end and WIN Magazine has announced its annual award winners; one month after WIN named Penn State’s Aaron Brooks as the winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy.

In the latest issue, printed May 25, readers will see stories on the following winners: Luke Lilledahl (Junior Hodge Trophy), Neil Erisman/Little Rock (Dan Gable Coach of the Year), Art Martori/Sunkist Kids WC (Mike Chapman Impact Award, Scott Joll/UNC Pembroke (Schalles Award), P.J. Duke (Junior Schalles Award) and Sam Janicki (Journalist of the Year).

Next month, WIN Magazine will also announce its first-ever Schalles (pinning) awards at the collegiate and high school levels for women.

In this issue, you will also find WIN Magazine’s unique awards — called the WINNIEs – and WIN Magazine’s state-by-state high school wrestlers of the year — as well as plenty other features, columns and news stories that fill up the 56 pages.

It was also an historic ending to the traditional folkstyle season, especially last month in Stillwater, Okla., where Oklahoma State surprised many when the Cowboys hired David Taylor, who recently won the Olympics (2021) and World titles for Team USA.

Click here or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe to WIN Magazine and start a subscription with the May issue.

The following is a list of the features which made up the issue.

Page 7 – BROTHERS-IN-ARMS – It will definitely be a family affair for David Taylor as he enlisted the help of his brother-in-law Jimmy Kennedy as Magic Man was named the new head coach at Oklahoma State.

Page 20 – ENDING THE LOUD SILENCE – Wrestling mom Joanna Rahnavardi suffered the worst pain when her son Zach committed suicide in 2019. Today, the native of Iowa spreads the importance of mental-health care so others do not feel her pain.

Page 22 – LILLEDAHL WINS JUNIOR HODGE TROPHY – Luke Lilledahl showed a lot of faith when he left his native St. Louis, Mo., to follow his coach to Wyoming Seminary, where he won many championships and most recently WIN’s most coveted prep award.

Page 24 – MARTORI/SUNKIST WINS IMPACT AWARD – Art Martori started the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club in 1976 when elite wrestlers could not finance their training. WIN now honors the man who has done so much for the sport over the last four decades.

Page 25 – ERISMAN NAMED GABLE COACH OF THE YEAR – In just five years as a varsity program, Little Rock finished with two All-Americans and a Top-20 finish under the leadership of Neil Erisman, who followed the advice of some legendary coaches.

Page 26 – JANICKI NAMED JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – The Colorado native Sam Janicki did more than earn an engineering degree from Michigan. The former high school wrestler re-ignited a love for the sport that he now shares with others in his photographs.

Page 28 — THE WINNIES of 2023-24 — Kyle Klingman has fun recalling some of the most noteworthy and unique moments that took place during the past year.

Page 30 – JOLL WINS SCHALLES AWARD – Scott Joll, the 174-pound All-American from UNC-Pembroke, became the first non-Division I wrestler since 2005 to win college wrestling’s pinning award as he secured 21 falls in a 35-win season.

Page 31 – DUKE WINS JUNIOR SCHALLES AWARD – After being forced to miss much of last year with a shoulder injury, P.J. Duke of Minisink Valley in New York enjoyed a great year with a third state title and a 39-0 record with 30 falls.

Page 38 — WIN MAGAZINE’S STATE-BY-STATE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR – who were the best high school wrestlers in all 50 states?

Page 44 — RMN EVENTS FEATURE — Sahuarita means “Little Saguaro,” a tree-like cactus native to the area, is a high school of that name that has certainly found big success in the state of Arizona.

Plus, WIN columnists offer their thoughts:

WIN Publisher Bryan Van Kley suggests the hiring of David Taylor at Oklahoma State was not such a surprise;
Legendary coach Dan Gable, who also was hired with little experience before winning 15 NCAA titles at Iowa, believes David Taylor should be open-minded to coaching suggestions;
High school coach John Klessinger gives 10 reasons while summer camps are good for young wrestlers;
Strength coach Zach Even-Esh wants wrestlers to become strong, not beach body-builders;
Sandy Stevens shares the thoughts of Northern Iowa wrestlers Lance Runyon and Parker Keckeisen on the importance of mental-health awareness;
Kyle Klingman retells the stories of the first women Olympians from 2004;
Tristan Warner lists 10 coaching fundamentals that will help young wrestlers;
High school columnist Rob Sherrill breaks down the list of WIN’s High School Wrestlers of the Year;
WIN editor Mike Finn credits those who make an impact behind the scenes like Allyson Schwab, the wife of Northern Iowa coach Doug Schwab.