KWCA announces annual award winners
Winners will be recognized at Oct. 3 banquet
On Sunday, the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Executive Board met at McPherson High School to finalize the 2020 award winners who will be recognized Oct. 3 at the KWCA "Fritz Knorr" Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet in Salina.
"The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association is excited to announce our 2020 State Wrestling Awards. This year we are honoring 50 individuals and organizations that go above and beyond the call in helping to lead, support, and participate in our great sport," said KWCA President Doug Vander Linden of Burlington High School.
State Championship Awards
The Head Coach and Senior Wrestlers of the Year are voted on after the state championship finals by KWCA Members. Winning coaches will not be eligible for the award the following two seasons.
|
HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR |
||
|
321A |
Bill Johnson |
Norton Community High School |
|
4A |
Andy Albright |
Chanute High School |
|
5A |
Nathan Broeckelman |
Great Bend High School |
|
6A |
Travis Keal |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Girls |
Damon Parker |
Washburn Rural High School |
|
SENIOR WRESTLER OF THE YEAR |
||
|
321A |
Wyatt Pedigo 195 |
Hoisington High School |
|
4A |
Preston Martin 132 |
Paola High School |
|
5A |
Cade Lautt 220 |
St. James Academy |
|
6A |
Keegan Slyter 126 |
Olathe North High School |
|
Girls |
Nicole Moore 116 |
Nickerson High School |
Hall of Fame
This year's Hall of Fame Inductee is long-time Mulvane Head Wrestling Coach, Rick Langerot. Langerot, a native of Columbus, KS has been involved in the sport of wrestling for the past 52 years as a competitor, official, and 43 years as a coach. Through hard work and dedication, Langerot has helped start programs at Ft. Scott Community College where he wrestled (1972), Ft. Scott Junior Wrestling (1978), Mulvane High School (1989), Mulvane Junior High (1992), and Mulvane High’s Girls Team (2018).
Coach Langerot has won numerous Coach of the Year awards at the District, League, Regional, and State levels. His squads have captured seven league titles, two regional crowns, and a 3rd Place finish at the 2001-02 5A State Championships. He finished his career with 361 dual wins, 172 state qualifiers, 62 state medalists, and eight state champions. His athletes also shined in the classroom with 37 All-State First Team Academic awardees.
Post-Season Awards
The following awardees were nominated by KWCA members who wrote personal recommendations touting the many great things that they have done to support not just their local programs, but the sport of wrestling as a whole.
|
Award |
Class |
Winner |
Organization |
|
Administrator of the Year |
321A |
Robert Rempel |
USD #410 Hillsboro Middle/High School |
|
Administrator of the Year |
4A |
Dave Tappan |
Louisburg USD 416 |
|
Administrator of the Year |
5A |
David Meter |
Great Bend High School |
|
Administrator of the Year |
6A |
Penny Lane |
Washburn Rural High School |
|
Administrator of the Year |
Girls |
Jon McLean |
Nickerson High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
321A |
Joston Wassom |
Republic County High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
4A |
Clete Frazell |
Chanute High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
4A |
Rusty Emling |
Chanute High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
5A |
Brian Means |
Goddard High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
5A |
Doug Hoover |
Goddard High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
5A |
Brent Fisher |
Goddard High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
6A |
Drew Hudgins |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
6A |
Jake Ellis |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
6A |
Shannon Sawner |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
6A |
Dylan Gowin |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
6A |
Terrale Johnson |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
Girls |
Mike Schridde |
Great Bend High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
Girls |
Jeremy Foster |
Great Bend High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
Girls |
Brian Schridde |
Great Bend High School |
|
Assistant Coach of the Year |
Girls |
Kristy Creamer |
Great Bend High School |
|
Contributor of the Year |
- |
Mary Nusz |
Augusta Citizen |
|
Contributor of the Year |
- |
Andrew Dixon |
Midwest Wrestling Coaches Group |
|
KCA Wrestling Coach of the Year |
- |
Travis Keal |
Mill Valley High School |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Steve Webster |
1590 KVGB Sports Day Podcast |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Toby Nosker |
KNCK Radio |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Jacob Lenard |
KOAM/FOX 4 |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Jesy Strnad |
KREP KR -92 |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Brady Lowell |
KREP KR -93 |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Kevin Romary |
Midco Sports Network |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Rick Bryant |
Midco Sports Network |
|
Media of the Year |
- |
Chet Kuplen |
Sports in Kansas |
|
Middle School Coach of the Year |
- |
Gary Winter |
Goodland Middle School |
|
Middle School Coach of the Year |
- |
Doug Malay |
Trego Community Middle School |
|
Middle School Coach of the Year |
- |
Jeff Haflinger |
Trego Community Middle School |
|
Official of the Year |
- |
Josh Biera |
- |
|
Team Support Personnel of the Year |
- |
Greg Boucher |
Augusta Wrestling Club |
|
Team Support Personnel of the Year |
- |
Karrie Rathbone |
Karrie Rathbone Photography |
|
Team Support Personnel of the Year |
- |
Zach Zimmrman |
USD 413 |
|
Team Support Personnel of the Year |
- |
Aidan Droge |
Washburn Rural High School |
|
USAWKS Youth Coach of the Year |
- |
Rex Kern |
Hoisington Kids Federation |
|
USAWKS Youth Coach of the Year |
- |
Josh Miller |
Kansas Thunderstruck Wrestling Club |
President Vander Linden closed with, "From head coaches, assistant coaches, senior wrestlers, administrators, the media, team support personnel, and our 2020 Hall of Fame inductee, Rick Langerot of Mulvane, we have an incredible group that we want to recognize for a job well done."
The KWCA will be releasing the Team Academic and Junior/Senior Academic All-State awards on Wednesday.
About the KWCA
The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association is a non-profit comprised of volunteers concerned with Leading, Honoring, Promoting, and Serving Kansas Wrestling.