UNI wrestling: Incoming Panther earns NWOF honor in Montana

STILLWATER, Okla. --- Incoming UNI wrestler Izzy Moreno has been named the 2023 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA) winner in the State of Montana, as announced by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon.

The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.

The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.

State winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.

The Central Region, Midwest Region, Northeast Region, Southeast Region and West Region winners will be announced on April 26 and the national winner will be announced on May 3. UNI's Cory Land became the first Panther to be named the national award winner just last year.

A decorated, two-time Class AA champion out of Big Sky High School in Missoula, Moreno was born in Iowa with a rich wrestling history in his family. His father and head high school coach, Rick Moreno, was an NAIA national champion at Mount St. Clare, while his uncle, Mike, was a four-time Iowa high school state champion and three-time NCAA qualifier at Iowa State. Izzy's cousin Michael also wrestled at Iowa State, twice earning All-American recognition before joining the Cyclone staff as a graduate assistant.

Moreno qualified for the Montana state high school tournament four times, and in four different weight classes. After finishing in fifth place at 120 pounds as a freshman, Moreno won his first state title in 2021 at 132 pounds before finishing as runner-up as a junior at 145 pounds. Moreno capped his career with a state championship at 160 pounds this past February.

Just the third wrestler from Big Sky High School to commit to a Division I program, Moreno has trained and competed at a high-level while also managing Type One Diabetes, a condition he has had since he was 11-years old.

UNI's State Winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award

2023 - Izzy Moreno (Montana)

2022 - Cory Land (Alabama)*

2021 - Jared Simma (Kansas)

2020 - Cael Happel (Iowa)

2019 - Kyle Gollhofer (Georgia)

2017 - Jack Skudlarczyk (Texas)

2015 - Max Thomsen (Iowa)

2015 - Taylor Lujan (Georgia)

2014 - Josh Alber (Illinois)

2011 - Cody Caldwell (Iowa)

2009 - Bart Reiter (Iowa)

2007 - Charlie Ettelson (Iowa)

* Land was also named the Southeast Region and national award winner

2023 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners

State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending

Alabama - Carson Hall, Ranburne, Ranburne HS, Air Force Academy (Football & Wrestling)

Alaska - Liam Babbitt, Soldotna, Soldotna HS

Arizona - Markell Rivera-Cain, Glendale, Ironwood HS, North Dakota State

Arkansas - Justin Crutchmer, Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton HS, Oklahoma State (Football)

California - Beau Mantanona, Bermuda Dunes, Palm Desert HS, Michigan

Colorado - Weston Dalton, Pueblo West, Pueblo East HS, Nebraska

Connecticut - Jack Richardson, Danielson, Killingly HS, Johnson & Wales

Delaware - Luke Poore, New Castle, Caravel Academy

Florida - Cooper Haase, St. Cloud, Osceola HS, USMA West Point Prep

Georgia - Luke Cochran, Pendergrass, Jefferson HS, Central Michigan

Hawaii - Brycen Pagurayan, Kapolei, Kapolei HS

Idaho - Aden Attao, Boise, Borah HS, Oregon State

Illinois - Kannon Webster, Washington, Washington Community HS, Illinois

Indiana - Sam Goin, Crown Point, Crown Point HS, Indiana

Iowa - Ben Kueter, Iowa City, Iowa City HS, Iowa

Kansas - Nick Treaster, Newton, Newton HS, United States Naval Academy

Kentucky - George Ferree, Louisville, Trinity HS

Louisiana - Ernie Perry III, Bossier, Airline HS, Cornell

Maine - Derek Cote, Lebanon, Noble HS, Springfield College or Southern Maine

Maryland - Coleman Nogle, Laurel, Mount Saint Joseph, Harvard

Massachusetts - Rawson Iwanicki, Andover, St. John's Prep, Columbia

Michigan - Joshua Barr, Davison, Davison HS, Penn State

Minnesota - Max McEnelly, Waconia, Waconia HS, Minnesota

Mississippi - Nate Taylor, Olive Branch, Center Hill HS

Missouri - Carter McCallister, Columbia, Rock Bridge HS, Missouri

Montana - Izzy Moreno, Big Sky HS, Missoula, Northern Iowa

Nebraska - Kael Lauridsen, Bennington, Bennington HS, Nebraska

Nevada - Tyson Irby-Brownson, Henderson, Boulder City HS

New Hampshire - Anthony Fernandez, Nashua, Nashua HS South

New Jersey - James Mullen, Hopatcong, St. Joseph Regional HS, Virginia Tech

New Mexico - Adan Benavidez, Bloomfield, Bloomfield HS, Kent State

New York - Tyler Ferrara, Binghamton, Chenango Forks HS, Cornell

North Carolina - Jeremiah Price, State Road, Surry Central, Appalachian State

North Dakota - Boeden Greenley, Lisbon, Lisbon HS, North Dakota State

Ohio - Joseph Blaze, IV, Perrysburg, Perrysburg, Purdue

Oklahoma - Cael Hughes, Glencoe, Stillwater HS, Oklahoma State

Oregon - Hayden Walters, Central Point, Crescent Valley HS, Michigan

Pennsylvania - Rocco Welsh, Fredricktown, Waynesburg Central HS, Ohio State

Rhode Island - Jacob Joyce, Chepachet, Ponaganset HS, Stanford

South Carolina - Colt Schrader, Greer, Eastside HS

South Dakota - Owen Hansen, Gregory, Gregory HS, Augustana

Tennessee - Hunter Mason, Newport, Greeneville HS, Virginia Tech

Texas - Shawn Ryncarz, Arlington, James Martin HS, Morgan State

Utah - Kyison Garcia, South Jordan, Mountain Ridge HS, Penn State

Vermont - Coy Lyford, Randolph, Spaulding HS

Virginia - Patrick Jordon, Providence Forge, New Kent HS, Virginia Military Institute

Washington - Q'veli Quintanilla, Spokane, University HS, Utah Valley

West Virginia - Matthew Dolan, Martinsburg, Spring Mills HS, West Virginia

Wisconsin - Greyson Clark, Wrightstown, Kaukauna HS, Purdue

Wyoming - Lane, Catlin, Gillette, Thunder Basin HS, Wyoming

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