Khaleah Kirk named recipient of Dan Hodge Foundation Scholarship

Guthrie High School alum and Oklahoma City University freshman Khaleah Kirk has won many times on the wrestling mat, including two state championships. Her recent win took place off the mat by being named a scholarship winner from the Dan Hodge Foundation.

The foundation is now in its third year and the first year that two recipients were awarded $1,000 scholarships.

Kirk is not only Guthrie’s first female state champion but also the first female athlete to sign a scholarship to wrestle in college.

Earlier this year, Kirk won her second state title for Guthrie Wrestling. Just a few short months later signed her letter to wrestle for OCU.

Applicants were considered for incoming college freshmen who participate in the school’s wrestling program.

The Dan Hodge Foundation has been created by his family. Hodge was described as a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. The wrestling community provided support and love to Hodge throughout his career which was cherished. This is a way to continue the legacy and give back to the wrestling community, for all generations past, present, and future.

“He was an amazing man who I will always look up to as a husband and a father. He taught me the value of hard work and never settling for mediocrity.” Hodge’s grandson and Guthrie resident Brent Hodge said.

The Dan Hodge Foundation aims to preserve the legacy of Danny Hodge, who excelled at the University of Oklahoma by going 46-0 in his Sooner career on the wrestling mat.

He won three national championships in Norman and is the namesake of the Hodge Trophy, which is the college wrestling equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. He went on from Oklahoma to win three national freestyle championships and a silver medal from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

In 1957, Hodge became the only wrestler ever featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, and in 1978 he became a charter member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He never gave up a takedown during his OU career and is one of just two college wrestlers to win three NCAA titles by fall. 

The depths of Hodge’s success went deeper than just college wrestling. He enjoyed an 18-year run as a professional wrestler and accrued a 17-0 record as a boxer in the 1950s. This included winning the Golden Gloves, which had never been accomplished by someone that had won a wrestling championship. In 2005, Hodge was honored by Oklahoma lawmakers as an Oklahoma Sports Hero and was invited to the House of Representatives floor to crush an apple with his bare hand, something he had become famous for over the years.