2023 d3wrestle.com Wrestler of the Year
The 2023 d3wrestle.com Wrestler of the Year is Jaritt Shinhoster of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Shinhoster won his second NCAA championship at 184 lbs. in March in dominating fashion. He opened with a 40 second fall then had back to back 12-0 major decisions in the quarterfinals and semifinals before winning 9-2 in the finals to defend his title. He finished the year with a 33-2 record, 16 falls, 3 tech falls, and 7 major decisions. He avenged his only DIII loss twice, including in the NCAA finals.
The regular season highlight for Shinhoster was becoming the first DIII finalist at the Midlands since 2010. He defeated the wrestlers ranked 12th and 20th in Division I at the time on the way to the finals. He continued his strong second half run by rolling through the WIAC Championships with a fall and two tech falls and kept his momentum by pinning all four of his opponents at the Upper Midwest Regional, spending a total of 6:11 on the mat in the tournament. He earned the number one seed at the NCAA Championships and left little doubt that he deserved it.
Shinhoster ends his career with a 112-15 record with 57 falls, 9 tech falls, and 28 major decisisions across five seasons. He was a four-time NCAA qualifier, four-time regional finalist, and two-time Upper Midwest regional champion. He was the 4th seed at 174 lbs. at the canceled 2020 NCAA Championships, wrestled an abbreviated four match schedule in 2021, and then went on to win the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs. He is a five-time NWCA Scholar All-American and was named the WIAC Wrestler of the Year in 2022 and 2023. Shinhoster is the second Whitewater wrestler to win this award after Jordan Newman in 2018, and he emerged from an exceptionally strong field to take this honor.
Previous Wrestlers of the Year
2022 – Bradan Birt, Millikin
2020 – Troy Stanich, Stevens
2019 – Darden Schurg, Wabash
2018 – Jordan Newman, Whitewater
2017 – Riley Lefever, Wabash
2016 – Riley Lefever, Wabash
2015 – Mike Fuenffinger, Augsburg
2014 – Nazar Kulchytskyy, Oshkosh
2013 – Nazar Kulchytskyy, Oshkosh
2012 – Byron Tate, Wartburg
2011 – Minga Batsukh, St. John’s
2010 – Clayton Rush, Coe