Mitchell Mesenbrink has been named the winner of the 2026 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS, according to a March 30 announcement. The award will be presented at the Penn State wrestling banquet on April 12 in State College and later at a Nittany Lion football game this fall.
The Hodge Trophy is regarded as one of college wrestling’s highest honors, recognizing the most dominant wrestler in the nation each year. This recognition highlights both individual achievement and continued excellence within Penn State’s wrestling program.
Mesenbrink, a two-time NCAA champion at 165 pounds for Penn State, secured his place among elite company by winning with a significant margin—garnering 61 out of 65 first-place votes from coaches, media members, and past winners. He also won the official fan vote with over two-thirds of nearly thirty thousand verified ballots cast online. “This is a very surreal come-to-fruition moment,” Mesenbrink said. “I’ve always had bonus (points), even throughout high school, but maybe I got overlooked because I never got OW awards… I would rather have a Dan Hodge Trophy than the ‘Arrowhead Wrestling Invite OW,’ though, so at the end of the day, it was a good trade.” Head coach Cael Sanderson said: “We are really excited for Mitchell… He scored a lot of points this year. He has continued to get a lot better… When you’re expected to win and continue to dominate and separate yourself, it carries some weight.”
The criteria for awarding the trophy include record, dominance or bonus-point percentage, quality of competition and sportsmanship. Mesenbrink finished his redshirt junior season undefeated at 27-0 with an impressive bonus rate exceeding ninety-six percent through pins and technical falls against top opponents in national competition.
Mike Chapman—founder of WIN Magazine and creator of the trophy—said: “When I created the Dan Hodge Trophy, the three main goals were to reward domination, give college wrestlers something extra to shoot for, and stimulate more media attention… I am pleased to welcome Mitchell into this elite circle of winners.” Publisher Bryan Van Kley added: “Congratulations to Mitchell… His level of domination at college level has been impressive for some time now.”
Mesenbrink credited overcoming adversity—including losses last June—as instrumental in shaping his mindset both on and off the mat. He emphasized that personal growth mattered more than legacy or accolades: “If you are focusing on your legacy you are so far off from right things… It is about what you gave.”
The broader impact underscores not only individual achievement but also Penn State’s strong tradition in collegiate wrestling; Mesenbrink becomes its sixth different recipient—and eighth overall—to claim this prestigious honor.
