Penn State wrestler Aaron Brooks wins US Open title
Aaron Brooks has another championship medal to add to his already impressive list of accomplishments. The Penn State wrestler and multi-time NCAA champ won the 86 kilograms (189 pounds) bracket at the prestigious US Open freestyle tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., on Friday night.
Brooks beat former Arizona State star Zahid Valencia in the finals. The Nittany Lion gave up the first six points of the match but scored the final 10 to take a 10-6 triumph. He now moves on to Final X. It will be held in June in Newark, N.J., and serves as the final qualifying event for the U.S. World team. There, he will meet reigning Olympic medalist and former Penn State star David Taylor. He is the incumbent at 86 kilograms on the world team. Brooks will need to beat him in a best two out of three series to qualify for Worlds, which is held in September in Serbia.
Brooks rolled into the US Open finals. He beat former Penn State national champion Mark Hall 6-1 in the semifinals. Before that, he won his first three matches by a combined score of 30-0. He was one of three former Nittany Lions to win a US Open senior division freestyle title. Nick Lee won at 65 kilograms, and Jason Nolf did at 74kg. They, too, will compete for a spot at Worlds at ‘Final X’ this summer.
What divisions are other Nittany Lions competing in?
Current Penn State wrestlers Jack Kelly and Connor Pierce are in the U20 freestyle tournament, which is this Saturday and Sunday. They’ll be joined by a number of future teammates who will compete in the following weight classes with hopes of qualifying for the 2023 U20 World Team Trials. That is June 2-4 in Geneva, Ohio.
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57kg – Cael Nasdeo
61kg – Dalton Perry
65kg – Tyler Kasak
74kg – Joe Sealey, Mitchell Mesenbrink (transfer)
79kg – Josh Barr
86kg – Connor Mirasola
92kg – Cole Mirasola
FloWrestling predicts a Mesenbrink-Sealey final in their weight class. It also sees Cole Mirasola as a finalist but runner-up in his.
“With Mesenbrink’s age, accolades (2022 Junior World silver), and considering he’s been training solely freestyle and competing in the senior circuit for the better part of half a year, I would say he’s a heavy favorite to defeat Sealey and win the weight,” JD Bader writes for Flo.
Sealey is a high school junior. Mesenbrink enters his second year of college wrestling.
Penn State commit Zack Ryder will compete in the 80-kilogram bracket for a spot on the U17 World team.
