Established in 1999, the Schalles Award, and the Junior Schalles Award goes annually to the best collegiate, and the best scholastic pinners in America. Sponsored by WIN Magazine, the award is named after Wade Schalles, one of America’s most storied pinners and a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. During his collegiate career (1970-1974) Mr. Schalles set the NCAA record at 106 pins. No other Division I wrestler has ever reached the century mark.
The award itself, along with The Hodge trophy, are the two most storied awards any athlete can win in the sport of amateur wrestling.
As for the trophy, it is a replica of the pinning combination Wade created, and made popular – the Spladle.
Schalles Award winners
- 2021 Jaydin Eierman, Iowa (Iowa)
- 2020 Ben Darmstadt, Cornell (New York)
- 2019 Bo Nickal, Penn State (Texas)
- 2018 Bo Nickal, Penn State (Texas)
- 2017 Zain Retherford, Penn State (Pennsylvania)
- 2016 Zain Retherford, Penn State (Pennsylvania)
- 2015 Taylor Walsh, Indiana (New Jersey)
- 2014 Taylor Walsh, Indiana (New Jersey)
- 2013 Kyle Dake, Cornell (New York)
- 2012 Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State (Pennsylvania)
- 2011 Andrew Alton, Penn State (Pennsylvania)
- 2010 Jayson Ness, Minnesota (Minnesota)
- 2009 Josh Patterson, Binghamton (New York)
- 2008 Darrion Caldwell, North Carolina State (New Jersey)
- 2007 Ben Askren, Missouri (Wisconsin)
- 2006 Ben Askren, Missouri (Wisconsin)
- 2005 Marcus LeVesseur, Augsburg College (Illinois)
- 2004 Scott Moore, Virginia (Pennsylvania)
- 2003 Scott Moore, Penn State (Pennsylvania)
- 2002 Cael Sanderson, Iowa State (Utah)
- 2001 Matt Petsinger, Mankato State (Minnesota) & Jared Frayer, Oklahoma (Florida)
- 2000 Keith Blaske, Ft. Hays State (Kansas)
- 1999 Stephen Neal, Cal-State Bakersfield (California)
Junior Schalles Award winners
- 2021 Alex Facundo, Davison (Michigan)
- 2020 Nash Hutmacher, Chamberlain (South Dakota)
- 2019 Greg Kerkvliet, Simly (Minnesota)
- 2018 Mason Parris, Lawrenceburg (Indiana)
- 2017 Gable Steveson, Apple Valley (Minnesota)
- 2016 Luke Weber, Forsyth (Montana)
- 2015 Max Thomsen, Laporte City-Union (Iowa)
- 2014 Brandon Womack, Scottsboro (Alabama)
- 2013 Adam Coon, Fowlerville (Michigan)
- 2012 Jordan Rogers, Mead (Spokane, Washington)
- 2011 Nick Gwiazdowski, Duanesburg (New York)
- 2010 Kyven Gadson, Waterloo East (Iowa)
- 2009 Eloheim Palma, Cary (North Carolina)
- 2008 Kyle and Chase Cuthbertson, Scottsboro (Alabama)
- 2007 Hunter Meys, Shenendehowa (New York)
- 2006 Jon Reader, Davison (Michigan)
- 2005 Jake Varner, Bakersfield (California)
- 2004 Coleman Scott, Central Waynesburg (Pennsylvania)
- 2003 Roger Kish, Lapeer West (Michigan)
- 2002 Chase Metcalf, Davison (Michigan)
- 2001 Rusty Blackmon, Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.)
- 2000 Chris Pendleton, Lemoore (California)
- 1999 Nick Simmons, Williamston (Michigan)
