2026 Schwartz Report Awards

The season is officially in the books, and the offseason is right around the corner. That means it’s time for the 2026 Schwartz Report Awards. Here, you’ll find 12 categories, each with three nominees. Voting is open now and will run through Friday, April 17. The winners will be announced on Instagram and will win a Schwartz Report award shirt. Read about each nominee below, then cast your vote.

*To add parity, wrestlers are not allowed to win an award in back-to-back years unless it is a Senior of the Year award.

(Public) Senior of the Year

James Tildsley (Shawsheen Tech, MA)

Dominant barely begins to describe James Tildsley. The all-time Massachusetts wins leader with 267, Tildsley won his third straight New England title this year and also became the first New England wrestler ever to reach 200 career pins. The Shawsheen senior capped off his high school career with a fourth-place finish at NHSCA Nationals. He is still undecided on college, but recently visited Roanoke.

Matt Harrold (Haverhill, MA)

Even after missing half the season due to MIAA transfer rules following his return from Wyoming Seminary (PA), Matt Harrold still put together an outstanding year. He went undefeated in the regular season, and after taking a loss at the Division 1 state tournament, Harrold bounced back in a big way by winning both an All-State title and a New England title.

Kaz Morosetti (North Kingstown, RI)

Anything less than a New England title would have felt disappointing for Kaz Morosetti. The Columbia-bound heavyweight went undefeated this year while winning Eastern States, a Rhode Island state title, and a New England crown. He finished his season by placing third at NHSCA Nationals.

Past Winners:

2025: Sidney Tildsley (Shawsheen Tech, MA) & Thomas Brown (Chelmsford, MA)

2024: Gabe Bouyssou (Scituate, RI)

(Prep) Senior of the Year

Nate Consigli (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

What a run it has been for Nate Consigli. A two-time Prep All-American and 2026 finalist, Consigli stayed composed after finishing second at the New England Prep tournament and turned that motivation into a strong national showing. He got revenge in the semifinals at Prep Nationals and went on to finish second, closing out his high school career before heading to the University of Virginia to compete in the ACC.

Shea Morris (New York Military Academy, NY)

A Massachusetts product now making noise in New York, Shea Morris put together an excellent season. Morris placed second at Prep New Englands, third at Prep Nationals, and third at NHSCA Nationals, solidifying his All-American status whether you look at the prep or public circuit.

Jackson Heslin (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

Jackson Heslin has been a fixture in New England wrestling since his freshman year at Xavier (CT). The 2024 Fargo national finalist picked up several huge wins over nationally ranked opponents this season. He placed second at Prep New Englands, then reached the semifinals of Prep Nationals before finishing third to wrap up his high school career ahead of his move to Bucknell.

Past Winners:

2025: Elliot Humphries (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

2024: Nate Taylor (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

(Public) Junior of the Year

Zack Dixon (Xavier, CT)

Zack Dixon delivered one of the biggest upset wins of the New England finals. All season long, the rankings seemed set with the top two, but Dixon had other plans. He knocked off freshman phenom Lucas Copper to win a New England title, then backed it up with a seventh-place finish at NHSCA Nationals.

Evan Boulard (Massabesic, ME)

Evan Boulard became Maine’s first boys New England champion since 2018, and he did it in dominant fashion while going 58-0 on the season. The 2025 NHSCA All-American will now try to repeat next year and continue building an already impressive legacy.

Isaiah McDaniel (Middletown, CT)

Isaiah McDaniel came out on top of one of the toughest rivalries of the 2025-26 season. He and Alex Lamarre faced each other five times throughout the year. McDaniel lost in the Connecticut State Open final, but when they met again in the New England final, he stayed in control and won the title, finishing his junior season with a 56-3 record.

Past Winners:

2025: Yandel Morales (Andover, MA)

2024: Charles Weidman (Xavier, CT)

(Prep) Junior of the Year

Max Konopka (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

What can be said about Max Konopka that FloWrestling or MatScouts hasn’t already said? The No. 1-ranked 215-pound wrestler in the nation won a Prep New England title, a Prep National title, and his third NHSCA title. At this rate, Konopka looks like one of the best wrestlers to come out of the region.

Braeden Simoneaux (New York Military Academy, NY)

In his first year up north, Braeden Simoneaux made a strong impression. Although he placed third at Prep New Englands, he bounced back with a fourth-place finish at Prep Nationals, the highest finish among New England wrestlers in that weight. He then capped his first season at NYMA by placing third at NHSCA Nationals.

Colby Houle (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

Colby Houle was as dominant as anyone in New England this season, winning every in-region tournament he entered. At Prep Nationals, Houle powered his way to the semifinals before eventually finishing fourth in the country.

Past Winners:

2025: James Bechter (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

2024: Isael Perez (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

(Public) Sophomore of the Year

Sam Floody (Scituate, RI)

Sam Floody finally captured his gold. After taking a couple of losses to big-name opponents during the season, the Scituate sophomore put everything together at New Englands and won the 106-pound title after a thrilling finals match.

Lukas Boxley (Ledyard, CT)

Lukas Boxley is now 2-for-2 when it comes to New England titles. The Ledyard standout dominated on the region’s biggest stage, with his closest match coming in a 10-0 major decision in the semifinals. He also proved himself nationally by finishing second at NHSCA Nationals.

Brayden Boccia (Milford, MA)

Brayden Boccia impressed just about everyone this year. In his opening match at New Englands, he drew the eventual runner-up, then responded by rattling off six straight wins to place third in a loaded 126-pound division. He followed that up with a fifth-place finish at NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach.

Past Winners:

2025: Cole Lemovitz (Ponaganset, RI)

2024: David Perez (Ponaganset, RI)

(Prep) Sophomore of the Year

Jaxsen Bailey (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

The dual Fargo All-American has clearly never heard of a sophomore slump. Jaxsen Bailey won a Prep New England title in his home gym, then placed fifth at Prep Nationals. He closed out his scholastic season as an NHSCA quarterfinalist.

Preston Burroughs (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

First off, credit Preston Burroughs for bumping all the way up to 215 pounds after his teammate went down with an injury. A natural 180-190-pound wrestler, Burroughs still managed to take second at Prep New Englands, losing only by major decision to Max Konopka. The NMH standout then went 3-2 at Prep Nationals.

Landon Herdic (New York Military Academy, NY)

Landon Herdic looks like a bright young piece for this NYMA team. He placed third at Prep New Englands and then battled his way onto the podium at Prep Nationals with a seventh-place finish.

Past Winners:

2025: Isaac Novod (Belmont Hill, MA)

2024: Julian Rios (Phillips-Andover, MA)

(Public) Freshman of the Year

Lucas Copper (Central Catholic, MA)

The hype surrounding Lucas Copper entering high school was enormous, and for the most part, he delivered. The Central Catholic freshman had a tremendous season, placing fifth at Eastern States while also winning the MIAA Division 1 North sectional, Division 1 state title, and All-States. He also scored one of the biggest upsets of the year when he beat two-time New England champion Cole Lemovitz in the New England semifinals. Copper eventually finished second behind Zack Dixon.

Josh Perez (Xavier, CT)

Xavier always seems to have a standout freshman, and this year it was Josh Perez. The 106-pound wrestler went unbeaten in Connecticut and picked up several notable wins along the way. He won a Connecticut State Open title and later placed third at New Englands, with the bronze-medal match serving as a revenge win after a quarterfinal loss.

Sam Josey (St. John’s Prep, MA)Sam Josey stepped into high school and had to wrestle 190-pound grown men as a freshman…and still won. The St. John’s Prep standout took a couple of early-season losses, learned from them, and went on to win an All-State title, a New England title, and an NHSCA title.

Past Winners:

2025: John Woodall (Franklin, MA)

2024: Max Konopka (Simsbury, CT)

(Prep) Freshman of the Year

Jax Sgrulletta (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

Jax Sgrulletta made noise quickly as a standout lightweight for the Dragons. He won a New England Prep title, then earned the No. 11 seed at Prep Nationals, where he went 3-2 and helped Greens Farms finish fifth as a team. He'd cap off his season with a sixth place finish at NHSCA Nationals

Jonathan Toriello (Northfield Mt. Hermon, MA)

Jonathan Toriello had a strong freshman campaign at NMH. He won a Class A title and placed second at Prep New Englands. At Prep Nationals, he entered as the No. 16 seed and went 2-2.

Logan Bailey (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

After some back-and-forth over who would fill the role, Logan Bailey finished the season as the Dragons’ 106-pound wrestler. He placed second at the New England Prep tournament, then entered Prep Nationals as the No. 15 seed and went 3-2.

Past Winners:

2025: Brody Sayers (Belmont Hill, MA)

2024: Brighton Karvoski (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

(Public) Girl Wrestler of the Year

Jeily Euceda (Norwalk, CT)

After finishing second at New Englands last year, Jeily Euceda came into this season on a mission. She won her second straight Connecticut State Open title and rolled through New Englands with a 4-0 record and four pins. She finished her year with a seventh-place finish at NHSCA Nationals and will look to repeat as New England champ next season as a senior.

Kayli Morris (Platt, CT)

Kayli Morris is Connecticut girls wrestling. The Platt senior is a four-time Connecticut state champion and a three-time New England champion. This year, she went 3-0 with two pins and a tech fall to claim another title. She capped her season with a fourth-place finish at NHSCA Nationals, earning All-American honors once again.

Sophie Grunhuvd (Massabesic, ME)

After moving from Montana to Maine two years ago, the Grunhuvd family has already made its mark. Sophie won her second straight New England title and then placed fourth at NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach.

Past Winners:

2025: Liz Donovan (Pelham, NH)

2024: Maddie Ripley (Oceanside, ME)

(Prep) Girl Wrestler of the Year

Sara McLaughlin (Choate Rosemary Hall, CT)

A Prep New England champion and a Prep National champion, Sara McLaughlin has long been one of the faces of the Choate girls program. She closes out her career ranked No. 23 in the nation at 125 pounds according to SI.com

Kayla Batres (Greens Farms Academy, CT)

When you talk about New England wrestling, you have to mention Kayla Batres. Ranked No. 2 in the nation at 110 pounds according to SI.com Batres has already accomplished just about everything at this level. Now, the 2026 National Prep champion has her eyes on the 2028 Olympics.

Kate Osakwe (Nobles & Greenough, MA)

Founder of Wrestle For Her, a nonprofit dedicated to growing girls wrestling, Kate Osakwe is now a two-time National Prep champion. She went 3-0 with three pins at the National Prep tournament and outscored her opponents 17-4 in the process.

Past Winners:

2025: Dani Nugent (Phillips-Andover, MA)

2024: Calli Gilchrist (Choate Rosemary Hall, CT)

(Public) Breakout Boy of the Year

Bishop Kearns (Bishop Guertin, NH)

Bishop Kearns put together a true breakout season. After going 1-2 at last year’s NHIAA Meet of Champions, the heavyweight came back this year and went 3-0 with two techs and a pin to win a New Hampshire state title. He followed that up with a 4-2 showing at New Englands, where he placed fourth.

Chase Galke (Shelton, CT)

A standout football player committed to WPI, Chase Galke took a major leap this season. After going 1-2 at last year’s Connecticut State Open at 215 pounds, Galke bulked up and became one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the region. He went undefeated until New Englands, where he finished sixth, ending his senior season at 49-3.

Jisup Shin (Weston, MA)

In 2025, Jisup Shin went 1-2 at the MIAA All-States. This year, the junior firmly put himself on the map. He went 4-2 to place fourth and punch his ticket to New Englands. Once there, Shin won his first few matches to reach the semifinals before ultimately finishing sixth.

Past Winners:

2025: Ethan Buonanducci (Enfield, CT)

2024: John Lagana (Xavier, CT)

(Public) Breakout Girl of the Year

Adelina Tate (Ellis Tech, CT)

A first-year wrestler, Adelina Tate used her natural ability to win a New England title right away. The Judo Cadet Pan-Am Team member gave wrestling a try for the first time this season, and it looks like she may have found a new passion to go with judo.

Ella Paris (Salem, NH)

After going 1-2 at New Englands last year at 107 pounds, Ella Paris dropped down to 100 and found her stride. She won her second straight NHIAA Meet of Champions title, then followed it with a New England title. She also delivered one of the biggest upsets on the girls side of the tournament with her semifinal win over two-time New England champion Hannah Perro.

Daphen Nyan (Davies Career Tech, RI)

Only a freshman, Daphen Nyan has already established herself in Rhode Island. This season, she won an RIIL girls state title and followed it by going 4-2 at New Englands to place fifth, keeping alive the possibility of becoming a four-time placer.

Past Winners:

2025: Janessa Santiago (Methuen, MA)

2024: Meghan Weibe (Sharon, MA)