Penn State wrestling notebook: Aaron Brooks looking forward to honoring fellow seniors
Penn State wrestling is 15-0 and has one final regular season dual at Rec Hall on Sunday afternoon against Clarion.
The team has continued to stay at the No. 1 spot throughout the season in the NWCA poll and is facing high expectations heading into the postseason. It seems like an exciting deja vu for head coach Cael Sanderson, who already is wondering where the time went.
“Well, the season always comes and goes quickly,” Sanderson said Tuesday during media availability. “We’ll be here next year before you know it and the year after that. So, I want to say the pressure is ramping up, I think we’re getting excited. But it’s more about ... consistency. We don’t get too high or too low or whatever, it’s just (that) you do your best every day and things tend to work out.”
As is customary for the final home dual of the regular season, the Nittany Lions will honor seniors before the match. Penn State has eight seniors on the team — three of them in the starting lineup. A number of seniors will decide whether they will walk, due to their existing eligibility, but others may go through with the ceremony despite possibly returning.
“It’s been just an outstanding group,” Sanderson said. “Everything’s different because of the COVID years and we have kids that have eligibility remaining. Are they going to use it or not? And so they walk just in case they decide not to. ... They’re just getting better and better. And so we want to keep that rolling. It’s been a great group, just a lot of good good dudes. They’ve done very well on the mat. We want to finish the year right for them and just compete well in March.”
Aaron Brooks (184) has built a number of memories with the other seniors over the years. Two in particular are Roman Bravo-Young (133) and Max Dean (197). Bravo-Young and Brooks have been roommates for years now and Dean, a Cornell transfer, quickly endeared himself to others in the program with his skills as a chef.
It’s part of the bond that Brooks will miss.
“I think they brought a lot to the (wrestling) room and not even just that — as teammates, as friends, as brothers, “ Brooks said. “A lot of people don’t know when Max Dean first came up, he was already hosting team bonding things at his house (and) cooking for everyone. Roman as well, you know, he’s been in the program a little longer, but me and him personally, that’s been my roommate ever since my redshirt was pulled. We talked about that last year, but it’s coming to a wrap. I’m just grateful for those times with those two, looking forward to the future.”
This story was originally published February 14, 2023 at 6:17 PM.
