Greg Stahl was presented with the Mal Mayse Distinguished Service Award during the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships, recognizing a career defined by leadership, vision and lifelong dedication to high school athletics in Missouri.
The award is one of the Association’s highest honors and recognizes individuals whose service has had a lasting and meaningful impact on interscholastic activities across the state. Stahl’s career—spanning roles as a student-athlete, coach, official, administrator and advocate—embodies the spirit of the award.
Stahl’s connection to wrestling began at an early age and continued through his high school career at Trenton High School, where he qualified for the state tournament twice and placed both his junior and senior seasons. Following graduation, he transitioned into coaching and officiating while attending North Central Missouri College and later Missouri Valley College, where he competed collegiately and continued officiating youth and high school wrestling.
After beginning his career in education, Stahl served in multiple teaching, coaching and administrative roles across several Missouri school districts, including Versailles, Marceline and Plattsburg. His work included time as a head wrestling coach, athletic director and assistant principal, with a consistent focus on supporting student-athletes and school-based activities.
In 2010, Stahl joined MSHSAA as an Assistant Executive Director, a role he held for 13 years until his retirement in August 2023. During his tenure, he oversaw numerous sports and programs, including Wrestling, officials, Football, Golf, Tennis, Speech & Debate, sports medicine and eligibility. While his responsibilities evolved over time, wrestling remained central to his work and passion.
One of the defining accomplishments of Stahl’s career was his leadership in the creation and implementation of Girls Wrestling as a MSHSAA-sanctioned sport. Beginning in the 2016–17 school year, Stahl advocated statewide for Girls Wrestling, working closely with member schools to build support and establish the foundation for the sport’s growth. In April 2018, member schools voted overwhelmingly to add Girls Wrestling, with the first season following in 2018–19 and the inaugural MSHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships held in February 2019.
Stahl oversaw the implementation of Girls Wrestling for its first five years as a fully interscholastic sport, helping Missouri become one of the nation’s leaders in participation and growth. The initiative also held personal significance, as his daughter, Kenzie, qualified to compete in the first two MSHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships in 2019 and 2020.
Throughout his career, Stahl served on numerous state and national committees, including the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee, NFHS Football Rules Committee and the National Wrestling Coaches Association Blue Ribbon Task Force. He also played a key role in advancing sports medicine protocols, mental health initiatives and safety standards for MSHSAA member schools.