Zahid Valenica (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)"Zahid Valencia and Marizza Birrueta have set new standards of excellence for California and Washington high school wrestlers with their success in wrestling," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Each of these student-athletes pursued and achieved their wrestling goals while taking equal responsibility for their performances in the classroom and in serving their communities."
Valencia was selected from the 49 state winners and five regional winners that were announced on April 27 by the NWHOF.
Valencia is a three-time California high school state champion who earned the Outstanding Wrestler award three times at the event. He put together a 164-1 record while at St. John Bosco High School. He claimed two USA Wrestling Freestyle Junior National titles and one Greco- Roman title.
He earned 135 community service hours during his high school career. He also served as a youth wrestling coach and volunteered at a senior convalescent home in his hometown. On the scholastic side, he carries a 3.72 GPA and will attend Arizona State University this fall as a projected 184 pounder.
This is the 20th annual Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, which is named in memory of World and Olympic champion Dave Schultz.
This year marks the Hall of Fame's second annual Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, given to outstanding female seniors in states that sponsor a female high school state wrestling championship. Saunders, who inspired the award, was a four-time World Champion, a member of the FILA Hall of Fame and the first female Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Birrueta is a three-time Washington state high school champion, becoming the first girl to ever win a state title for Grandview High School. She is also a state freestyle champion. At the national level, Birrueta is a member of Team Washington and won a USA Wrestling Junior National title last year. She placed first at the 2015 Flo Reno Worlds.
Over the last four years, Birrueta has maintained a 3.4 GPA and has chosen to attend Oklahoma City University in the fall. In addition to wrestling, she lettered in track and field. Birrueta was Homecoming Princess in 2012-2013. As a part of her community service, she has coached a local youth wrestling program and volunteered at her church.
Valencia and Birrueta will accept their awards during Honors Weekend on June 5-6. The following is a list of previous award winners:
Dave Schultz High School Excellence National Winners:
1996 David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa
1997 Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio
1998 Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah
1999 Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas
2000 Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina
2001 Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey
2002 Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
2003 C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio
2004 Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
2005 Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York
2006 David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida
2007 Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellog High School, Wabasha, Minnesota
2008 Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah
2009 David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio
2010 Logan Steiber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio
2011 Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California
2012 Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan
2013 Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania
2014 Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn grove, Pennsylvania
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