The National Wrestling Hall-of-Fame in Oklahoma recently announced the 2025 state winners of the Dave Schultz (Boys) and Tricia Saunders (Girls) High School Excellence Awards. The “Excellence Awards” are presented annually to the top senior from each of the fifty states based on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement, and citizenship or community service. Additionally, regional winners for both awards are selected from state winners, and the national winners will be chosen from the regional winners. The 50 states are represented within the following regions:

WEST (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, IDAHO, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

MIDWEST (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

CENTRAL (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

SOUTHEAST (11) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

NORTHEAST (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The list of past state award winners from Idaho is impressive and consists of several outstanding wrestlers that went on to earn collegiate level success as well as All-American honors. They include Jared Lawrence (Sandpoint H.S./Univ. of Minnesota) Jake Rosholt (Sandpoint H.S./Oklahoma State), Adam Hall (Bonners Ferry H.S./Boise State), Casey Randles (Coeur d’ Alene/Grand View Univ.), and more recently NCAA Champion Ridge Lovett (Post Falls H.S./Univ. of Nebraska) and Cierra Foster (Post Falls H.S./Oklahoma City Univ.) to name a few.

The 2025 winners for the state of Idaho include two of the nation’s top ranked seniors in Bishop Kelly’s Matthew Martino (Dave Schultz) and Lewiston’s Joely Slyter (Tricia Saunders).

A leader in the classroom and on the mat, Bishop Kelly’s Matthew Martino has produced an impressive list of accolades. For starters, he is a four-time District III Champion and this past season joined his brother Christopher in the rare four-time State Champions Club. Furthermore, Matthew has earned multiple prep All-American honors in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman at the Folkstyle and Fargo Nationals. Moreover, he won titles in both Freestyle and Greco at the 15U Pan American Games (named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco).

In the classroom, Matthew has excelled academically all four years and is among the top student/athletes in his class. Maintaining a strong academic load from start to finish, which includes college prep/AP courses, Matthew is a member of the National Honors Society and will be taking his academic and wrestling talents to the prestigious Ivy League at Princeton University. Congratulations, Matthew!!

Rated among the top lightweights in the country, Lewiston’s Joely Slyter has had quite an impressive career since taking the mat at an early age. A commit to Providence University, Joely is a two-time Idaho State Champion, three-time finalist with four medals overall. Additionally, she has earned several Freestyle and Greco state titles in addition to multiple All-American honors at the Fargo and Folkstyle Nationals. More recently, Joely won her first title at the Folkstyle Nationals in the Junior Division.

In the classroom, Joely has excelled all four years and is a member of her school’s student leadership. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA while taking several college prep/AP courses Joely is a member of the National Honors Society and the Valedictorian for the Class of 2025. Congratulations, Joely!!

Below is a list of past Idaho recipients of these prestigious awards since the late 1990s. 

DAVE SCHULTZ EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS (IDAHO)

2025 – Matthew Martino (Bishop Kelly), 2x PAN AM Champion-FS/GR (OW)

2024 - Mack Mauger (Blackfoot), 5x Fargo Champion

2023 - Aden Attao (Borah), U20 World Bronze (GR) 

2022 - Rylan Rogers (Couer d’ Alene)

2021 - Drew Roberts (Couer d’ Alene)

2020 - Sawyer Hobbs (South Fremont), 2x NAIA AA

2019 - Ridge Lovett (Post Falls), NCAA Div. I Champion (3x AA)

2018 - Joseph Rice (New Plymouth)

2017 - Casey Randles (Couer d’ Alene), NAIA Champion (2x AA)

2016 - Tucker Leavitt (Highland)

2015 - Seth McLeod (Post Falls)

2014 - Hayden Tuma (Centennial)

2013 - Jared Johnshoy (Melba)

2012 - Raymond Evans (New Plymouth)

2011 - Tanner Hall (Meridian), 2x NCAA Div. I AA

2010 - Trevor Rupp (Pocatello)

2009 - Kyle Johnshoy (Melba)

2008 - Jacob Scharbrough (Weiser)

2007 - Kirk Smith (Centennial), 2x NCAA Div. I AA

2006 - Adam Hall (Bonners Ferry), 2x NCAA Div. I AA

2005 - Luke Smith (Idaho Falls)

2004 - Nicholas Smith (Centennial)

2003 - Jordan Johns (Aberdeen)

2002 - Tony Hook (Sandpoint)

2001 - Jake Rosholt (Sandpoint), 3x NCAA Div. I Champion (4x AA)

2000 - Lex Case (North Fremont)

1999 - Jonathan Padgett (Fruitland)

1998 - Jared Lawrence (Sandpoint), NCAA Div. I Champion (4x AA)

TRICIA SAUNDERS AWARD WINNERS (IDAHO)

2025 – Joely Slyter (Lewiston)

2024 - Clare Wait (Boise)

2023 - Alyssa Randles (Couer d’ Alene) 

2022 - Marissa Jimenez (Caldwell)

2021 - Hannah Dupay (Meridian)

2020 - Payton Lanningham (Columbia)

2019 - Hannah Harvey (St. Maries)

2018 - Lana Hunt-Waddoups (Blackfoot)

2017 - Cierra Foster (Post Falls), 2x NAIA AA

ABOUT THE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

DAVE SCHULTZ HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE AWARD

The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, presented annually to a male high school senior, is based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service. The national winner is selected from state and regional winners.

The award was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.

TRICIA SAUNDERS HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE AWARD

The Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, presented annually to a female high school senior, is based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service. The national winner is selected from state and regional winners.

First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.