Aaron Brooks (wrestler) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Aaron Brooks

Personal information
Full name	Aaron Marquel Brooks
Born	(2000-06-15) June 15, 2000 (age 25) Hagerstown, Maryland, U.S.
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Wrestling
Weight class	86 kg (190 lb)
Event(s)	Freestyle and Folkstyle
College team	Penn State
Club	Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Titan Mercury Wrestling Club
Coached by	Cael Sanderson
Medal record Men's freestyle wrestling Representing  United States Olympic Games Bronze 2024 Paris 86 kg U23 World Championships Gold 2023 Tirana 86 kg US National Championships Gold 2023 Las Vegas 86 kg Junior World Championships Silver 2018 Trnava 79 kg Cadet World Championships Gold 2017 Athens 76 kg Collegiate Wrestling Representing the Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Division I Championships Gold 2021 St. Louis 184 lb Gold 2022 Detroit 184 lb Gold 2023 Tulsa 184 lb Gold 2024 Kansas City 197 lb Big Ten Championships Gold 2020 Piscataway 184 lb Gold 2021 State College 184 lb Gold 2023 Ann Arbor 184 lb Gold 2024 College Park 197 lb Silver 2022 Lincoln 184 lb

Aaron Marquel Brooks is an American wrestler born on June 15, 2000. He is known for competing in both freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. Aaron won a bronze medal for the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

He is also a U23 World champion and a US National champion. In college wrestling, Aaron made history as one of only seven wrestlers to win four NCAA Division I National championships. He also won four Big Ten Conference championships while wrestling for Pennsylvania State University. Aaron is a Christian.

Aaron Brooks' Wrestling Journey

Early Life and High School Success

Aaron Brooks was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. He went to North Hagerstown High School. During his high school years, Aaron was incredibly successful. He won four NHSCA National championships. He also won four state championships in Maryland, with an amazing record of 163 wins and only 2 losses.

Before his senior year of high school, Aaron became a U17 World champion in freestyle wrestling. He was a top recruit and decided to wrestle for the Penn State Nittany Lions in early 2018. After high school, Aaron spent a year training at the United States Olympic Training Center.

In August 2018, Aaron won a silver medal at the U20 World Championships. He made his senior-level debut in January 2019, winning the Dave Schultz Memorial International title.

College Wrestling Career at Penn State

Aaron Brooks joined Penn State University in 2019.

Freshman Year (2019–2020)

Aaron started his college career strong, winning the Mat Town Open. He had a great record of 9 wins and 1 loss in dual meets during the regular season. In December, he competed in the US National Championships, placing sixth.

Back in folkstyle, Aaron won his first Big Ten Conference title. He was set to compete in the NCAA tournament, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the season, he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Sophomore Year (2020–2021)

In his second year, Aaron continued his success with a perfect 6–0 record in dual meets. He became a two-time Big Ten Conference champion. At the NCAA tournament, Aaron became an NCAA Division I National champion. He defeated tough opponents like Parker Keckeisen and Trent Hidlay. This win also qualified him for the US Olympic Team Trials.

At the US Olympic Trials, Aaron won against Nate Jackson and Sammy Brooks. However, he lost to two-time NCAA champion Zahid Valencia and US National champion Pat Downey.

Junior Year (2021–2022)

Aaron had an undefeated 14–0 record in dual meets during his junior year. He reached his third Big Ten Conference final but lost to Olympic bronze medalist Myles Amine. However, at the NCAA tournament, Aaron won his second NCAA National championship. He defeated Trent Hidlay in the semifinals and then beat Myles Amine in the finals.

Senior Year (2022–2023)

In his senior year, Aaron had a 9–1 record in dual meets. He won his third Big Ten title with three dominant wins. Aaron then claimed his third NCAA National championship. He once again defeated Trent Hidlay in the semifinals and Parker Keckeisen in the finals.

After college, Aaron competed in freestyle wrestling at the US Open National Championships. He won the championship by defeating Mark Hall and Zahid Valencia. This earned him a spot in Final X. In June, he competed against his teammate David Taylor for a spot on the US World Team but lost. As a result, Aaron represented the United States at the U23 World Championships in October. He became the U23 World champion at 86 kilograms, beating wrestlers from Japan, Russia, Moldova, and Turkey.

Fifth Year (2023–2024)

Aaron decided to return to Penn State for a fifth and final season. He moved up to the 197-pound weight class. He won the Journeymen Classic title and had a perfect 11–0 record in dual meets.

In the postseason, Aaron won his fourth Big Ten title. He was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. Aaron then dominated the NCAA Tournament, winning two technical falls and two falls. He defeated Trent Hidlay 6-1 in the NCAA Final. With this victory, Aaron became only the seventh wrestler in history to win four NCAA titles. He was also named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. On April 1, 2024, Aaron was awarded the Hodge Trophy, which is given to the nation's top college wrestler.

Post-College Career and Olympic Success

2024 Olympic Journey

In April 2024, Aaron competed at the US Olympic Team Trials. He defeated multiple-time NCAA champions Alex Dieringer and Zahid Valencia, as well as Connor Mirasola. He then faced his teammate David Taylor in the finals. Aaron surprised many by defeating Taylor twice in a row. This earned him the right to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

In August 2024, Aaron made his Olympic debut in Paris. On the first day, he won against two-time World medalist Azamat Dauletbekov from Kazakhstan and U20 World champion Hayato Ishiguro from Japan. He reached the semifinals but lost to Magomed Ramazanov from Bulgaria in a very close match. The next day, Aaron wrestled for the bronze medal. He defeated Javrail Shapiev from Uzbekistan to win the bronze medal, a fantastic achievement for his first Olympics!

Career Statistics

Aaron Brooks has an impressive record in college wrestling: