Taylor tops Hodge Trophy list as 2014 begins

ASICS Race for Hodge Trophy, Jan. 3, 2014

The following is a list of the Top-10 candidates who could win the 2014 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The statistics are through Jan. 2, 2014.

1. David Taylor, Penn State, 165 pounds, 17-0, 9 pins

The 2012 Hodge Trophy winner is coming off a Southern Scuffle championship, where the top-ranked senior recorded two pins and dominated No. 2 Tyler Caldwell of Oklahoma State, 9-1.

2. Andrew Howe, Oklahoma, 174 pounds, 12-0, 4 pins

The 2011 NCAA champion — then at Wisconsin where he earned three AA honors — has not competed since Dec. 7 when he defeated Nebraska’s Robert Kokesh for the Las Vegas Invitational championship.

3. Derek St. John, Iowa, 157 pounds, 17-0, 5 pins

The 2013 NCAA champion won a Midlands title by shutting down the dangerous Indiana pinner Taylor Walsh.

4. Anthony Nelson, Minnesota, Heavyweight, 19-0, 10 pins

The two-time NCAA champion recorded three falls en route to winning the Southern Scuffle.

5. Mitchell Port, Edinboro, 141 pounds, 14-0, 8 pins

The 2013 national runner-up pinned two foes to become the Scots’ first Midlands champ since 2011.

6. Alex Dieringer, Oklahoma State, 157 pounds, 15-0, 7 pins

Fresh off a Southern Scuffle championship, which included a 38-second fall, the Cowboy will face Iowa’s Derek St. John on Jan. 10

7. Zain Retherford, Penn State, 141 pounds, 17-0, 3 pins

The true freshman proved his upset of Logan Stieber was no surprise after winning the Scuffle.

8. James Green, Nebraska, 157 pounds, 18-0, 4 pins

The two-time All-American won a Reno TOC championship, Dec. 22, with three pins.

9. Adam Coon, Michigan, Heavyweight, 18-0, 6 pins

In the month of December, the true freshman won both the Las Vegas and Midlands championships

10. Jimmy Sheptock, Maryland, 184 pounds, 17-0, 3 pins

The Terp, who won his first All-American honor in 2013, raised his 2014 national stock with a Midlands championship win.