Blackfoot High senior Lana Hunt and former Pocatello High varsity coach Todd Praska are being honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Idaho Chapter.
Hunt is the only female wrestler to compete for four years in Blackfoot High School history, according to her award information on the National Wrestling Hall of Fame website. She took third place twice and second place once at the 4A District 5-6 tournament, and compiled a 3-6 record at three 4A state tournaments — all while wrestling against male counterparts.
In February, Hunt won the 101-pound weight class at the Jaybird Memorial all-girls tournament in Nampa, the first such event ever sanctioned in Idaho.
Hunt is the 2018 recipient of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, which honors one wrestler from each applicable state.
First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer, according to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame website.
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 UWW Hall of Fame in 2011.
Per the site, the state 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. Last year’s Idaho recipient was Cierra Foster of Post Falls. She was also the west regional honoree.
Praska is being inducted as a Lifetime Service to Wrestling honoree. Praska was the Pocatello head coach for 20 years before retiring in 2017. He led the Indians to six top-four finishes at the 4A state tournament, and coached at various other schools and programs around the area. He is one of four members of the 2018 inductee class, joining Brad Hansen, Dale Gardner and Brian Ricks.
Former Pocatello High wrestling coach Todd Praska coached the Indians for 20 seasons.
Praska’s induction ceremony will take place in Idaho Falls in May. Further details will be announced at a later date.
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