Brooks becomes 11th Athlete of the Year in Penn State wrestling history

Aaron Brooks and Bridget Nemeth have been named the 2023-2024 Penn State Athletes of the Year, it was announced Monday afternoon. Brooks finished his final season for the Penn State wrestling program, winning his fourth individual NCAA championship. Nemeth completed her freshman season for Penn State softball, helping the team qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.

Brooks and Nemeth will now represent the Nittany Lions as the university’s nominees for Big Ten Athletes of the Year.

Your 2023-24 Penn State Athletes of the Year 💙🤍

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— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) June 17, 2024

Brooks becomes 11th Athlete of the Year in Penn State wrestling history

Aaron Brooks was a key contributor in helping Cael Sanderson lead Penn State wrestling to its third straight national championship and the program’s 11th title in 13 seasons in 2024. He becomes the 11th Nittany Lion wrestler to win the Penn Wins State Male Athlete of the Year Award.

Brooks, winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy for the nation’s best wrestler, joined Carter Starocci as the first four-time NCAA champions in Penn State wrestling history this March. He finished his senior season with an undefeated 22–0 record and a 90.91% bonus percentage en route to the Big Ten and NCAA 197-pound crowns. The dominant run capped off an 89-3 career record as a Nittany Lion.

Mandatory credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

After the NCAA Championships, Brooks rolled through the challenger at the U.S. Olympic team trials, disturbing reigning gold medalist and former Penn State wrestler David Taylor in the best two-out-of-three championship.

The win earned Brooks a trip to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he will represent the United States at 86 kg.

Nemeth leads Nittany Lions in historic freshman year

Bridget Nemeth helped Penn State play softball returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. The Nittany Lions finished with more than 30 wins for three straight seasons for the first time since 1999-2003. The true freshman finished as a Freshman All-American for D1Softball and Softball America, the First Nittany Lion in program history to achieve the feat.

Nemeth also became the first Penn State softball player ever to earn Big Ten individual honors since the Nittany Lions joined the conference for the 1991-92 athletic season. Nemeth was named the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She becomes the first Nittany Lion to win Player of the Year honors at any conference since 1988. Nemeth was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection voted on by the coaches.

Glendora, California, finished leading the Big Ten in wins, saves and innings pitched. She had a 23-7 record over 210 innings of work. She also finished with 202 strikeouts, good for third in the conference and No. 17 in the nation.

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