2023 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 17, 2023

Aaron Brooks

BOK Center

Penn State

Semifinals Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Aaron Brooks, congratulations.

AARON BROOKS: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Aaron Brooks, Penn State finalist at 184 tonight. Give us your thoughts, your emotions, your feelings on becoming a finalist tonight.

AARON BROOKS: It's all God's will, not mine. Just wanted to go out there and wrestle hard to glorify him. When I go out there, I'm defending the gospel. And if he gives me a chance to talk and preach in front of people, I'm going to talk about him. This is all him he gave me the strength to glorify him.

Q. Your faith is very important to you. Can you tell me more about how that's really molded you, shaped you as a wrestle. Tell me how it's helped you in your wrestling career.

AARON BROOKS: It's everything. You know what Christ did, his Resurrection, I got the holy spirit in me. That's my peace, my strength regardless what happens. I know my identity is in him. When I go out there to wrestle, it gives me the freedom to wrestle and showcase what he's blessed me with. That's everything about wrestling, school, family, everything.

Q. Is there a specific Bible verse or piece of scripture that you carry with you to maybe motivate you for these matches?

AARON BROOKS: Before this match, I had three. So second Timothy, Chapter 1, Verse 7, God doesn't give us the spirit of fear, but the power of mind and love. John 16:8 talking about the holy spirit gives you power. And chapter 1 Versus 8, the holy spirit gives me power when I go out there and knowing holy spirit is in me, so embrace it and showcase it. If I go out there and say God is in me, but I'm timid, that is not faith.

Q. Aaron, you are part of a special Penn State team, ten years from now, they are going to compare this team to other great Penn State teams. Where would you rank this in history? You must know about the history especially during the Cael Sanderson years. Where should we rank this?

AARON BROOKS: There is no ranking, right? Each and every group had its own specialties. I think this group skill wise is the most skilled, but then again, the group before, they were pinning dudes, man.

So God has blessed us all with different things. Before it was Taylor and different skill sets. I don't think there is anything to compare, just enjoy what God is doing in our program.

Q. You wrestled Trent Hidlay in the finals two years ago. What kinds of things did he throw at you that you were unexpecting?

AARON BROOKS: I never know with him. He's a worthy opponent. Just praying that he felt the holy spirit, that it brings him to Christ. If anything, what was different about him, I hope he knows it's my faith. He loves to wrestle, loves to compete. And usually he has a game plan. And I think he's trying to switch it up every time we wrestle. Hats off to him. Main thing is I hope he finds peace with the Lord.

Q. Aaron, leading up to The All-star Classic, we talked about you thought you were going to see Parker Keckeisen in the finals last year. You are going to see him this year. Do you think you will see the same Parker Keckeisen as in the Classic?

AARON BROOKS: That's tomorrow. Tomorrow has its battles already. So it's God's will, not mine. We shall see.

Q. You and David Carr are very good friend. How was it watching him punch his ticket to the finals tonight before your match?

AARON BROOKS: Awesome brother, man. I love him. Just regardless, me and him talk almost every day, at least three times a week when we can. He loses. It os my brother. He wins, he's my brother but seeing him going out there and getting this platform. If anyone is winning, I hope they use it to preach about the Lord. It makes me happen that God has given him the platform to do the same thing.

Q. How much would you attribute your success to your own hard work and how much would you attribute to the room around you, the NLWC, your teammates, all of that?

AARON BROOKS: Definitely a combination of all of it. I think you can go into any environment, that could be -- they say iron sharpens iron, but if you're not looking to sharpen yourself, you're not going to be sharpened. So when you are in that room, choose to wrestle the best guys, choose the grab them as partners, not straying from that. Not like, okay, I'm here, let me wrestle with whoever, I'll say Roman, a 133 pounder. He's a dog, so anywhere, you gotta look for it.

Anywhere you got, you gotta look for it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Aaron.