Tempe, Arizona - After winning the 2018 NCAA Championship at 174 lbs, redshirt sophomore Zahid Valencia of No. 8 Arizona State wrestling has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2018 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy.
Named after three-time NCAA champion Dan Hodge (Oklahoma/1955-57), who did not allow a takedown in his career and pinned 36 of 46 opponents, the Hodge Trophy is the top award in college wrestling and has been presented to the nation's most dominant collegiate wrestler every year since 1994.
The No. 1 seed at 174 lbs in 2018, Zahid Valencia completed an undefeated season with the Sun Devils' first national title since Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins in 2011. In the title match, he avenged last year's semifinal loss to defending national champion Mark Hall. Over the weekend, he also became ASU's first two-time All-American since Jenkins and Robles.
He helped ASU to back-to-back Pac-12 titles (first in 11 years) and helped the Sun Devils put together the program's third-longest win streak this season and first top-10 finish at NCAA's since 2011.
His season marks for bonus point wins (25) and tech fall wins (7) are good for fourth and T-5th in program history and his career marks for bonus point wins (53/5th), tech fall wins (9/T8th), and major decision wins (20/T11th) also sit in or just outside the top-10.
In 2003, Eric Larkin became the first Sun Devil to win the award after going 34-0 en route to the NCAA title at 149 lbs after his fourth straight Pac-10 title.
Fans can vote at https://www.win-magazine.com/2018-win-magazineculture-house-dan-hodge-trophy-fan-vote/ from Monday, Mar. 19 until 3 pm AZ time (5 pm CT) on Friday, Mar. 23.
The winner will be announced Tuesday, Mar. 27 after a final vote by former Hodge Trophy winners, national media, representatives of national wrestling organizations, and retired former college coaches from different regions.