Aaron Brooks caps brilliant Penn State career by joining historic group of four-time NCAA champs

Aaron Brooks is a four-time NCAA champion. The Penn State senior ended his college career on top, where he’s been the entire time, by beating N.C. State’s Trent Hidlay 6-1 in the 197-pound final of the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He joins Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith, his head coach, Cael Sanderson (who accomplished it at Iowa State), Cornell’s Kyle Dake, Ohio State’s Logan Stieber, Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis, and teammate Carter Starocci in the exclusive club. Starocci, of course, joined it two bouts earlier when he won the 174-pound title by decision, 2-0, over Rocco Welsh of Ohio State.

Brooks won his bout by scoring a takedown with five seconds left in the first period to take a 3-0 lead. He escaped early in the second to go up 4-0 and when Hidlay was warned for stalling for the second time late in the second period, it swelled the Nittany Lions’ lead to 5-0 after two. Hidlay escaped late but Brooks won with a riding time point, 6-1.

Penn State finishes the 2023-2024 season with four national champs (Brooks, Starocci, Greg Kerkvliet at heavyweight, and Levi Haines at 157 pounds), two runner-ups (Beau Bartlett at 141 and Mitchell Mesenbruink at 165), and two other placers (Aaron Nagao third at 133 and Bernie Truax fifth at 157) for a total of eight All-Americans. And, while winning its third straight NCAA title, Penn State scored 172.5 team points, which is a new record. It tops the 170 Iowa scored in 1997.

Penn State has eight All-Americans

The Nittany Lions have eight All-Americans. Besides Kerkvliet and the other finalists, freshman Tyler Kasak earned that status at 149 pounds, where he ultimately finished third. Graduate senior Bernie Truax did so while finishing fifth at 184 pounds. Only two Nittany Lions were eliminated before the top eight was established, as 125-pound freshman Braeden Davis and 133-pound redshirt sophomore Aaron Nagao lost in the Round of 12. Here is how each Nittany Lion has performed so far at nationals, courtesy of Penn State Athletics:

25: #1 Braeden Davis, Fr., Belleville, Mich./Dundee
Rd. 1: #33 Tristan Lujan, Michigan State – W, 8-1 dec.
Rd. 2: #17 Brett Ungar, Cornell – W, 2-1 dec.
Qtr: #8 Richard Figueroa, Arizona State – L, 2-3 dec.
Cn. 4: #5 Jore Volk, Wyoming – L, 1-4 (sv) dec

133: #10 Aaron Nagao, So., La Habra, Calif./Esperanza
Rd. 1: #23 Marlon Yarbrough, Virginia – L, 5-13 maj. dec.
Cn. 1: #26 Kade Moore, Missouri – W, 16-1 (TF; 5:00)
Consolation bracket. 2: #24 Julian Chlebove, Arizona State – W, 5-1 dec.
Cn. 3: #16 Nick Bouzakis, Ohio State – W, 3-0 dec.
Cn. 4: #3 Kai Orine, North Carolina State – L, 4-11 dec.

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141: #2 Beau Bartlett, Sr., Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.)
Rd. 1: #31 Kal Miller, Maryland – W, 6-1 dec.
Rd. 2: #15 Mitch Moore, Rutgers – WBF (5:49)
Qtr: #26 Vance Vombaur, Minnesota – WBF (6:48)
Semi: #6 Lachlan McNeil, North Carolina – W, 5-1 dec.
Finals: #1 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State – tonight

149: #7 Tyler Kasak, Fr., Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic
Rd. 1: #26 Jaden Abas, Stanford – L, 2-4 dec.
Consolation bracket. 1: #23 Drew Roberts, Minnesota – W, 14-5 maj. dec.
Cn. 2: #9 Ethan Fernandez, Cornell – WBF (0:36)
Cn. 3: #17 Graham Rooks, Indiana – W, 13-1 maj. dec.
Consolation bracket 4: #3 Jackson Arrington, North Carolina State – W, 5-4 dec.
Cn. 5: #11 Quinn Kinner, Rider – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Cn. Semi: #1 Ridge Lovett, Nebraska – W, 10-1 maj. dec.
3^rd: #5 Ty Watters, West Virginia – W, 3-2 dec.

More: Penn State wrestler Tyler Kasak takes third while Bernie Truax grabs fifth at NCAAs



157: #1 Levi Haines, So., Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville —
Rd. 1: #32 Isaac Wilcox, Ohio State – W, 17-2 (TF; 7:00)
Rd. 2: #16 Teague Travis, Oklahoma State – W, 19-4 (TF; 6:41)
Qtr: #8 Peyton Robb, Nebraska – W, 8-0 maj. dec.
Semi: #12 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech – WBF (7:48; SV)
Finals: #2 Jacori Teemer, Arizona State – tonight

165: #2 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Fr., Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead
Rd. 1: #31 Maxx Mayfield, Northwestern – W, 18-2 (TF; 5:32)
Rd. 2: #15 Brevin Cassella, Binghamton – W, 11-3 maj. dec.
Qtr: #10 Cameron Amine, Michigan – W, 6-1 dec.
Semi: #6 Mikey Caliendo, Iowa – W, 17-9 maj. dec.
Finals: #4 David Carr, Iowa State – tonight

174: #9 Carter Starocci, Sr., Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep
Rd. 1: #24 Andrew Sparks, Minnesota – W, 12-6 dec.
Rd. 2: #8 Adam Kemp, Cal Poly – W, 5-3 dec.
Qtr: #1 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech – W, 4-0 dec.
Semi: #4 Shane Griffith, Michigan – W, 2-0 dec.
Finals: #6 Rocco Welsh, Ohio State – tonight

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184: #6 Bernie Truax, Gr., Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista
Rd. 1: #27 Cameron Pine, Clarion – W, 18-3 (TF; 5:09)
Rd. 2: #11 Colton Hawks, Missouri – W, 4-2 dec.
Qtr: #3 Dustin Plott, Oklahoma State – L, 6-16 maj. dec.
Consolation bracket 4: #10 Dylan Fishback, North Carolina State – W, 5-0 dec.
Cn. 5: #7 Thomas Stewart Jr., Virginia Tech – W, 5-1 dec.
Cn. Semi: #4 Trey Munoz, Oregon State – LBF (2:29)
5^th: #2 Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota – W, 12-0 maj. dec.

197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Sr+., Hagerstown, Pa./North Hagerstown
Rd. 1: #33 Evan Bates, Northwestern – W, 18-4 (TF; 5:24)
Rd. 2: #17 Joseph Novak, Wyoming – WBF (2:20)
Qtr: #8 Stephen Buchanan, Oklahoma – WBF (2:44)
Semi: #12 Rocky Elam, Missouri – W, 17-2 (TF; 5:45)
Finals: #2 Trent Hidlay, North Carolina State – tonight

285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet, Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
Rd. 1: #32 Nick Willham, Indiana – W, 19-3 (TF; 5:16)
Rd. 2: #17 Grady Griess, Navy – W, 9-1 maj. dec.
Qtr: #9 Nick Feldman, Ohio State – W, 1-0 dec.
Semi: #4 Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State – W, 8-1 dec.
Finals: #10 Lucas Davison, Michigan – tonight