Aaron Brooks
Personal information
Born (2000-06-15) June 15, 2000
Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S.
Weight184 lb (83 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportWrestling
Event(s)Freestyle and Folkstyle
College teamNittany Lions
ClubNittany Lion Wrestling Club
Coached byCael Sanderson
Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
World U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 Tirana86 kg
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place2018 Trnava79 kg
Cadet World Championships
Gold medal – first place2017 Athens 76 kg
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Penn State Nittany Lions
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 St. Louis 184 lb
Gold medal – first place 2022 Detroit 184 lb
Gold medal – first place 2023 Tulsa 184 lb
Big Ten Championships
Gold medal – first place2020 Piscataway184 lb
Gold medal – first place2021 State College184 lb
Silver medal – second place2022 Lincoln184 lb
Gold medal – first place2023 Ann Arbor184 lb

Aaron Brooks (born June 15, 2000) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes internationally at 86 kilograms and collegiately at 184 pounds. In freestyle, he is a Cadet World Champion and Junior World Championship silver medalist. As a collegiate wrestler, Brooks is a three-time NCAA champion and a three-time B1G Conference champion out of the Pennsylvania State University.[1] As of May 25, 2022, Brooks is the top-ranked 184-pound NCAA wrestler in the country as per Intermat.[2]

Folkstyle career

High school

Brooks was born in Hagerstown, Maryland and attended North Hagerstown High School.[3] As a freshman ('14-'15), he won his first MPSSAA title and also won the NHSCA Freshman National championship, both at 126 pounds.[4][5] As a sophomore (15'-16'), he bumped up to 138 pounds and repeated last year's results as he became a two-time Maryland state champion and won the NHSCA Sophomore National championship.[6][7] As a junior (16'-17'), he once again bulked up now to 152 pounds and became a three-time state and national champion.[8] As a senior (17'-18'), he became just the seventh wrestler to ever win four NHSCA National championships and also the seventh wrestler to win four MPSSAA titles.[9][10] He compiled an overall record of 163 wins and just two losses (45–1, 43–1, 46–0 and 22–0).[3]

College

In early February 2018, Brooks committed to Cael Sanderson and the Penn State Nittany Lions as the number one recruit in the country.[11] After focusing on freestyle during the 2018–19 season, Brooks arrived to Pennsylvania State University.[12]

2019–20

Brooks started the season as a redshirt athlete at 184 pounds and compiled 3 wins and no losses during a Mat-Town Open title run before getting his redshirt pulled in December and becoming the starter of the team.[13][14] After getting four more convincing victories in different dual meets, Brooks was downed by Nebraska's Taylor Venz in his first and only setback of the season, as he continued to get his hand raised in five more meetings before the regular season's end.[3][15] In the post-season, he competed at the Big Ten Conference championships, where he major'd the Gopher Owen Webster in the opening round and avenged his only collegiate loss to date with a fall over Venz in the next round. In the tournament's final, Brooks took out Michigan State's Cameron Caffey with a 3-2 decision to claim the Conference championship.[16] Brooks was then scheduled to compete at the 2020 NCAA Championships,[17] however, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] After the season, he earned All-American honors due to his performance through the year and was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.[19][20]

2020–21

In October 2020, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to winter athletes due to the last season being cut short.[21] Competing as a sophomore, Brooks compiled an undefeated 6–0 record during regular season.[22] To start the post-season, Brooks claimed his second straight Big Ten Conference title, defeating Nelson Brands from Iowa, John Poznanski from Rutgers and Taylor Venz from Nebraska.[23] On March 20, Brooks claimed the NCAA title for the Nittany Lions after going 5–0 at the tournament.[24]

Freestyle career

Cadet & Junior level

Brooks excelled in freestyle at the cadet level, winning his first Fargo National title in 2016, as well as the Greco-Roman one.[25] In 2017, he went on to compete at the UWW Cadet Nationals, a qualifier for the Cadet World Championships. After making the finals, Brooks was downed twice by Travis Wittlake, ending as an alternate for the World Team. However, it was then reported that Wittlake had suffered an injury and Brooks replaced him.[26] In between, he once again won Fargo but now in the junior level,[27] At the World Championships, Brooks outscored his opponents by a total of 57 points to 14 and claimed the World title.[26]

In 2018, Brooks competed at the US Open (junior level) in April.[28] He outscored his five opponents 53 points to 7 and claimed the championship.[29] In May, he won the best-of-three for the World Team Trials.[30] At the World Championships, he reached the finals of the tournament with victories by technical fall, points and disqualification. He lost the finale to Hayato Ishiguro in a back-and-forth 10–11 match, claiming the silver medal.[31]

After graduating in 17'-18', Brooks spent the entire 18'-19' season at the US Olympic Training Center, sharpening his freestyle abilities. During 2019, he made his third age-group World Team, winning the US Open and then the WTT, just like last year.[32] Despite high expectations, Brooks went out early in the opening round as he fell 3–5 to Abubakr Abakerov.[33]

Senior level

2019

During his time at the OTC, Brooks made his senior level debut on January, at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. He completely dominated both of his matches, pinning Stacey Davis and tech'ing Nate Jackson, a class of '17 collegiate graduate and former two-time NCAA Division I All-American, 13 points to 0.[34]

Brooks came back in December at the US Senior Nationals. After reaching the semifinals of the tournament, he was downed by two-time NCAA Division I champion and eventual winner of the championship Zahid Valencia, 0 points to 6. He then lost his match at the consolation semifinals to graduated Gopher and two-time DI All-American Brett Pfarr. In the fifth place match, he got teched by Samuel Brooks, whom he had defeated earlier in the tournament, placing sixth.[35] He was one place away from qualifying for the US Olympic Trials.[36]

2020

Brooks was scheduled to come back into the freestyle scene against Brett Pfarr on October 20, at the NLWC II.[37] However, Brooks was dropped out of the card of undisclosed reasons and replaced by Jaime Espinal.[38]

Brooks competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials in April 2, in an attempt to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[39] Brooks went 2–2 at the tournament.[40]

Freestyle record

NCAA record

Stats

Stats

Personal life

Brooks is a Christian.[41] He has three brothers and one sister.[42]

References

  1. ↑ "Aaron Brooks - Wrestling". Penn State University Athletics. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  2. ↑ "InterMat Wrestling College Rankings". InterMat. Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  3. 1 2 3 "Aaron Brooks - Wrestling". Penn State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  4. ↑ "2015 Maryland High School Wrestling State Championships". WDVM 25. 2015-03-10. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  5. ↑ "North Hagerstown's Aaron Brooks wins National Wrestling Championship". WDVM 25. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  6. ↑ Mason, Andy. "Six county wrestlers crowned at states". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  7. ↑ CalGrappler (2016-04-03). "2016 NHSCA Final Results". CalGrappler - The Home for California High School Wrestling. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  8. ↑ "See the results for the 2017 NHSCA High School Nationals wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  9. ↑ Mason, Andy. "Brooks wins 4th NHSCA national title, named tourney's outstanding wrestler". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  10. ↑ Schwartz, Tim. "Kraisser wins fourth title to headline MPSSAA state wrestling championships". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  11. ↑ Mason, Andy. "Aaron Brooks commits to Penn State". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  12. ↑ "BlueWhiteIllustrated - Wrestling: Penn State adds world-class recruit in Aaron Brooks". bwi.rivals.com. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  13. ↑ "Aaron Brooks wins title at Mat-Town Open". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  14. ↑ "Expectations for Aaron Brooks As the New 184-Pound Starter for Penn State Wrestling". Roar Lions Roar. 2020-01-22. Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  15. ↑ Collegian, Jake Aferiat | The Daily. "'One of the best I've seen at his age': Penn State wrestling's Aaron Brooks continues to put people on notice". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
  16. ↑ "Hall and Brooks Claim Big Ten Titles as 2020 B1G Championship Concludes". Penn State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  17. ↑ Collegian, Shane Connelly | The Daily. "'What a joke': Penn State wrestling's Roman Bravo-Young reacts as NCAA won't grant winter athletes more eligibility". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  18. ↑ Goodwin, Cody. "NCAA cancels Division I, II, III wrestling championships amid COVID-19 pandemic". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  19. ↑ "NWCA Division I Coaches Group announces 2020 All-America Teams". Team USA. April 17, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  20. ↑ "2020 NWCA Division I First Team All-Americans" (PDF). National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-04-20.
  21. ↑ Slackman, Samuel. "NCAA grants extra year of eligibility to winter sport student-athletes". The Daily Targum. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  22. ↑ "Aaron Brooks (Penn State) Profile | WrestleStat". www.wrestlestat.com. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  23. ↑ Collegian, Jake Aferiat | The Daily. "Penn State wrestling's Aaron Brooks notches second career Big Ten title". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  24. ↑ Mason, Andy. "Aaron Brooks wins his 1st NCAA title". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  25. ↑ Steen, Alex (2016-08-26). "Catching up with Double Fargo Champion Aaron Brooks of Maryland". The Open Mat. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  26. 1 2 "Wrestling: Aaron Brooks Commits to Penn State". Roar Lions Roar. 2018-02-02. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  27. ↑ "See the results for the 2017 Cadet/Junior National Championships wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". flogymnastics.com. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  28. ↑ "2018 U.S. Open: UWW Junior Freestyle Preview". flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  29. ↑ "FLOARENA". arena.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  30. ↑ Smith, Earl (2018-05-22). "A look at the 2018 Men's Junior Freestyle World Team". The Open Mat. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  31. ↑ "Aaron Brooks Wins Silver Medal at the Junior World Championships". Roar Lions Roar. 2018-09-22. Archived from the original on 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  32. ↑ Smith, Earl (2019-05-21). "Introducing the 2019 Men's Freestyle Junior World Team". The Open Mat. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  33. ↑ "Tough draw sends Aaron Brooks out early in UWW Junior Worlds". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  34. ↑ "Brooks dominates, Molinaro wins second DSMI title". Team USA. January 26, 2019.
  35. ↑ "See the results for the 2019 Senior Nationals - US Olympic Trials Qualifier wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  36. ↑ "Updated US Olympic Team Trials qualifiers as of July 30, 2020". Team USA. July 30, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31.
  37. ↑ @caelsanderson (October 7, 2020). "Nittany Lion WC | Rokfin https://rokfin.com/NLWC?content=N" (Tweet). Retrieved 2020-10-11 – via Twitter.
  38. ↑ "Order of bouts for October 20th". Rofkin. October 19, 2020.
  39. ↑ "A.J. Ferrari: A Day in the Life for the NCAA Champ Preparing for Olympic Trials". Pokes Report. 2021-03-25. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  40. ↑ Mason, Andy. "Aaron Brooks seeded 10th at U.S. Olympic Team Trials". Herald-Mail Media. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  41. ↑ Mercer, Kevin. "Penn State wrestler Aaron Brooks seeks 3rd straight national title and to 'glorify God'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  42. ↑ "Aaron Brooks". Retrieved 16 March 2023.
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