Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520787
3 6 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State wrestler Aaron Brooks was a solid favorite to make the best-of-three finals of USA Wres- tling's Olympic Team Trials at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center in April, but projecting him to win that freestyle se- ries against reigning Olympic champion David Taylor was quite another matter. Brooks had been on the stage before against Taylor, losing 6-0 and 5-4 bouts in the 2023 Final X event that determined the USA World team. For Brooks to solve Taylor this time, he would have to become his opponent. Taylor subscribes to the Cael Sander- son philosophy of constantly looking to score and boasting a technical superiority from the neutral position. Brooks does as well. Taylor has the mat savvy to stay in the circle and not yield points for stepouts, WRESTLING GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Aaron Brooks stuns the wrestling world by defeating a fellow Penn Stater at the U.S. Olympic Trials J I M CA R L S O N | B L U E W H I T E C O N T R I B U T O R David Taylor received a bye into the final round of the Olympic Trials, while Brooks had to wrestle three hard-fought matches. Nevertheless, Brooks defeated the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, 4-1 and 3-1, to take the best-of-three series and earn a spot at 86 kilograms on the U.S. team that will compete in Paris this summer. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS