Lilledahl wins 2024 Junior Hodge Trophy, presented by Resilite

By Tristan Warner

Luke Lilledahl had just won a Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) 4A state title as a freshman at 106 pounds for Christian Brothers College High School and head coach Cornell Robinson in the spring of 2021. 

Photo: Over the past year, Wyoming Seminary’s Luke Lilledahl (left) won the Ironman, a second National Prep championship, the U20 Nationals in Las Vegas and most recently earned the Junior Dan Hodge Trophy.

The young phenom dominated his opponents at the UWW Cadet Nationals later that spring and made a name for himself on the international scene after finishing as the UWW Cadet World silver medalist at 48 kg.

Despite falling just shy of his goal of a World title, there was no denying “Lightning” Luke was already well on his way to wrestling stardom, not only in the Show-Me State but on the national and international scene at his age level. 

But, upon returning from Budapest, Lilledahl suddenly was faced with some unforeseen adversity that would force some difficult decisions to be made.

Robinson, who had been Lilledahl’s coach since he was 10 years old, made the painstaking yet thrilling decision to accept the head coaching position at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa., some 900 miles away. 

According to Robinson, Lilledahl’s mind was already made up.

“Right after he got back from Budapest, I called his dad and told him I got the job, and there was no hesitation,” the coach said. “He came right with me. That kid knew exactly what he wanted.”

Lilledahl himself acknowledged the decision weighed on him, but he knew what was best for him.

“It was really important for my growth as a wrestler and as a person to come to Sem,” he said. “It was tough to leave my family, but they have always supported me. It was nothing but a great experience and helped make me a better person and one of the best wrestlers in the country.”

In fact, Lilledahl has now been named the recipient of the 2024 WIN Magazine Junior Dan Hodge Trophy, given to the most outstanding high school wrestler in America each season. He is the first ever Missouri native to receive the award. 

“This is pretty special,” Lilledahl reflected. “Growing up watching so many great wrestlers win prestigious awards like this, winning the Junior Hodge is definitely a steppingstone for me.”

“To be the first to ever win it from the state of Missouri feels really good. It shows Missouri is getting better and hopefully it can inspire the next generation of kids in the state to believe they can win this award, too.”

The Junior Dan Hodge Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s best high school wrestler by the Resilite and Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine. 

The award is named after Dan Hodge, the former three-time University of Oklahoma national champion (1955-57) who never allowed a takedown in his college career. He also pinned 36 of his 46 victims.

Robinson was also ecstatic to receive the news, deflecting all the credit to his understudy. 

“This is pretty awesome,” he exclaimed. “You always want to coach the best kids and be around the best kids in the country, but it seems unreal sometimes. For one of our kids to reach that pinnacle is awesome. He gets all the credit, but it is fun to be a part of.”

Lilledahl, ranked No. 1 in the nation at 126 pounds according to the latest WIN Magazine/Spartan Combat High School Rankings, wrapped up a remarkable prep career for the Blue Knights after helping the team win National Prep titles in 2022 and 2024. 

A three-time Pennsylvania Prep state champion and two-time National Prep champion, Lilledahl also won the prestigious Walsh Ironman Tournament, where he defeated second-ranked Seth Mendoza (Mount Carmel, Ill.), 9-5 in overtime, as well as third-ranked Jax Forrest (Bishop McCort, Pa.), 2-1. Lilledahl also posted a victory over fifth-ranked Gage Walker (Bixby, Okla.), 5-3, in December. 

Then in April, Lilledahl competed in the Senior level Olympic Trials at Penn State, where he is committed to continue his career for coach Cael Sanderson and the three-time defending NCAA champion Nittany Lions. The high school senior came up just one win shy of a top-four finish and subsequent berth on the Senior level National Team. 

However, just a few weeks later, Lilledahl not only won the U20 U.S. Open at 57 kg but was named Outstanding Wrestler, as the three-time age-level world medalist outscored his opponents 67-3 on his way to six technical falls. 

Lilledahl paid tribute to his many coaches as well as his father, crediting them for sharpening his skills and his relentless mindset. 

“Each of our coaches at Sem brings something different and is an important piece to the pie,” he reflected. “Coach Robinson is a technician and is very tactical. Coach Weber is the mental guy who puts us through a lot and makes our minds steel traps. Coach Heck is a big hand-fighting guy, which helped me jump levels, especially against these older guys.”

As for his tenacity and determination to not just win but to dominate his opponents, such as at the U20 US Open, the younger Lilledahl believes his father instilled those values and tendencies within him from a young age. 

“My dad always had me focus on my performance and not just winning. He had performance goals for me every match. It helped me become a more well-rounded wrestler who focused on competing and not just winning.”

When asked what separates Lilledahl from his competition, Robinson did not hesitate to elaborate on his many assets, both as a person and as a wrestler. 

“Luke is extremely competitive, has great work habits, a good perspective of life and wrestling, and he just understands the process of it. He never gets overzealous and is a very humble kid. He is definitely excited to win this award, but in a few days, he will be ready to move on to the next one.

“The leadership he brings by his work ethic and his respect for all the coaches will be missed here at Sem. He listens to everybody, even if you were a brand-new coach. His good behavior and work ethic will carry on at the next level. 

“He came in with me when it was a hard transition for us that first year, but he kept doing what he came here to do.”