Hall of Fame Announces High School Award WinnersSTILLWATER, OKLA.-The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has announced the regional winners of the 1999 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. The recipients are: Damion Hahn-Northeast Region, Joe Clarke-Southeast Region, Ryan Lewis-Northern Plains Region, Zach Roberson-Southern Plains Region and Max Odom-West Region.
The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award is presented annually to a high school senior, with selection based equally on outstanding wrestling achievement, scholastic achievement and citizenship.
Hahn compiled a career record of 131 wins and three losses and collected three state titles for Lakewood High School in New Jersey. He set the state record for pins with 89 and consecutive wins with 102. On the national level, Hahn was crowned the 1999 National High School champion and was a two-time Junior National Freestyle champion. He also won titles at the FILA Junior World Trials and the U.S. Cadet Nationals. Hahn was selected as a member of the Wrestling USA/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic.
In the classroom, Hahn earned a 3.2 GPA and was a member of the History Club. He is involved with the Peers Program for Youth and DARE. He was also tabbed as the Jersey Shore Hall of Fame's Athlete of the Year and was featured in Sports Illustrated as the Old Spice Athlete of the Month in March. Hahn will take his talents to the University of Minnesota in the fall.
In the Southeast Region, Atlanta, Georgia native Joe Clarke is this year's recipient. Clarke wrestled for the Westminster Schools where he won three state titles and posted a record of 189-12. At the 1999 National High School Wrestling Championships, Clarke placed second. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning the 1999 National Prep School Championship. Clark was runner-up in 1998 and third in 1997 at the same tournament.
Clarke was a member of National Honor Society after garnering a 3.7 GPA. He was named an AP Scholar with Honor and NHSCA Academic All-American. Clarke was a member of his school's Honor Council Prefect, which upholds the school's honor code. He was also involved in theater, Latin Club and Habitat for Humanity. Clarke will attend Princeton University in the fall.
Ryan Lewis from Waukesha, Wisconsin is the 1999 Northern Plains Region winner. Lewis claimed two state championships at Waukesha South High School. He posted a prep record of 158-7 and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Journal Preps Plus Athlete of the Year award. Lewis won the Cadet National Freestyle crown, captured 29 high school tournament titles and was a four-time Conference, Regional and Sectional champion.
Lewis compiled a 3.99 GPA and was a member of National Honor Society. He was named to Wisconsin's Crossface newspaper All-State Scholastic Team all four years while at Waukesha South. Lewis served as a Peer Tutor for three years and was a volunteer for the Kiwanis DARE program. He will compete for the University of Wisconsin next fall.
The Southern Plains winner is Overland Park, Kansas native Zach Roberson. Roberson capped his high school career with an unblemished record of 153-0 and four state titles for Blue Valley Northwest High School. He was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1998 Junior National Championship Tournament. Roberson was named the Kansas coach's All-State Wrestler of the Year in his weight division all four years. He was also named to the Wrestling USA/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic.
Roberson compiled a 3.81 GPA and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was selected three times as a member of Who's Who Among American High School Students. Roberson has appeared in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" feature. Roberson will wrestle for the Iowa State Cyclones in the fall.
The West Region honors go to Max Odom of Tehachapi, California. While competing for Foothill High School, Odom won two state titles. He amassed a prep record of 173-17 with 93 pins. Odom was a 1999 high school national champion and a Cadet Nationals winner in 1997. He has been honored by the Kern County Board of Supervisors for his accomplishments.
Odom's outstanding scholastic achievements include a 4.1 GPA and membership in the National Honor Society. He was also named the 1999 U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete and was the recipient of the Youth Individual Bakersfield award. In the community, Odom has volunteered for the elderly and is an active church member. He has also served as a kids' freestyle coach and a referee in local and state tournaments. Odom will attend for Harvard University next year.
The five winners will be honored and the national winner announced at the Hall of Fame's Honors Banquet June 5th in Stillwater.