By Thomas Grant Jr.
Add another wrestling honor for three-time state champion and All-American Tiyanna Mack of Blythewood High School.
This past weekend, she was the South Carolina recipient of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award.
First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.
The award recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. It was sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation.
“The recipients of our Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award represent an extraordinary group of young women who have set the bar for excellence, not only in the classroom and on the wrestling mat, but also through their leadership and service to others,” said NWHOF Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “We are incredibly grateful to our committee for their time and diligent work in selecting such outstanding ambassadors for our sport.
“It’s a tremendous honor to recognize these young women, and we take great pride in watching them continue to thrive on the wrestling mat, excelling academically, and serving as inspiring role models for the next generation of wrestlers.”
TSHSEA 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 regional winners were announced on Wednesday.
