MISSOULA — The accolades continue to roll in for Izzy Moreno.
The senior at Missoula Big Sky High School was awarded the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA) for the state of Montana, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced on Thursday.
The award was established in 1996, and was created 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."
The award celebrates wrestlers around the nation for their achievements in wrestling, in the classroom as well as in the community.
“This year's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners represent an exceptional group of student-athletes whose qualifications encompass a combination of accomplishments in academics, athletics, and humanitarian service for the benefit of others.,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith in a media release. “We look forward to following their careers and wish them all the best in sports and life.”
Moreno just capped off his senior season for the Eagles with his second Class AA state championship. He won the 160-pound title back in February and was also a state champ at 132 as a sophomore in 2021.
Moreno will wrestle collegiately at the University of Northern Iowa next season. Moreno also was recently awarded the 2023 Blewett Wrestling Scholarship for Class AA.
As a state winner of the award, Moreno's name will be included in the West Region of winners which includes 11 states. Regional winners will be announced on April 26 and the national winner will be revealed on May 3.
The national winner will be honored during the 46th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 2 and 3 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
