<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3aAuTs_0utDTdKf00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3aAuTs_0utDTdKf00" width="1182" height="619" >Aaron Brooks put together a sparkling collegiate career at <a href="https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/">Penn State</a>. And now, the former Nittany Lion has an impressive international accolade on his resume: a bronze medal.Brooks defeated Uzbekistan's Javrail Shapiev, 5-0, in the bronze medal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on Friday.It's Penn State's second consecutive medal in the weight class after all-time great David Taylor won gold in Tokyo three years ago, and Brooks joins Taylor and Japan's Katsutoshi Naito (1924) as the Nittany Lions' Olympic medalists.Brooks was <a href="https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/article/penn-state-aaron-brooks-2024-summer-olympics-paris-wrestling-86-kg-234569383/">coming off a last-second loss</a> to Bulgaria's Magomed Ramazanov in the semifinals that prevented him from competing for gold, but the Hagerstown, Md., native didn't show any ill-effects from that match.Brooks wrestled confidently against Shapiev and was eventually able to assert himself as the match went on and earn the comfortable victory. The bronze medal caps an eventful few months for Brooks.In Paris, Brooks won his first-round matchup against Kazakhstan's Azamat Dauletbekov, 4-3. He followed that up in the quarterfinals with a dominant 11-1 victory over Japan's Hayato Ishiguro. After the first period ended in a 1-1 tie, Brooks went to work to outscore Ishiguro, 10-0, in the second period.That set the stage for his match against Ramazanov, where he took a slim lead into the late stages of the second period before Ramazanov scored the dramatic finish.In April, Brooks qualified for the Olympics by upsetting Taylor, the reigning champion, at the U.S. Olympic Trials at the Bryce Jordan Center. That came on the heels of Brooks winning his fourth national championship — his first at 197 pounds — and securing his fifth All-America honors. He went 22-0 to run his collegiate record to 89-3. He won the 2024 Hodge Trophy as the nation's best collegiate wrestler.Brooks figures to be a notable player on the international stage in the years to come.MEN'S VOLLEYBALL EARNS BRONZEEarlier Friday, Penn State added to its medal count in men's volleyball with Matt Anderson, Max Holt and Aaron Russell claiming bronze in Team USA's 3-0 sweep of Italy. The Americans' run for gold was snuffed out Wednesday in a 3-2 loss to Poland, but the U.S. rebounded nicely for the win over Italy.The Italians didn't make it easy — Team USA won the sets 25-23, 30-28, 26-24 — but the Americans didn't leave the door open for a comeback, like they did against Poland in the semifinals.Russell accounted for 15 points, while Holt tallied 11 and Anderson chipped in eight.Team USA is still seeking its first gold medal in men's volleyball since 2008 in Beijing, but the Americans rebounded from their 10th place finish in Tokyo three years ago to secure the bronze, which they also won in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.A BRONZE IN WOMEN'S SOCCERPenn State's medal count received a contribution from Germany on Friday morning when the Germans defeated Spain, 1-0, in the women's soccer bronze medal match. Former Nittany Lion Laura Freigang didn't leave the bench in the win as nine of Germany's 11 starters played all 90 minutes.Freigang's most extensive action came when she played 51 minutes in Germany's loss to Team USA in the semifinals. She placed one shot on goal in her time on the field.OTHER OLYMPICS NOTES- The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club's Kyle Dake won his first two matches Friday morning to advance to the semifinals at 74 kg, but he lost to Japan's Daichi Takatani, 20-12, to get sent to a bronze medal match Saturday.- Former Penn State wrestler Zain Retherford opens competition Saturday against Iran's Rahman Amouzadkhali at 65 kg.- Kyle Snyder, another Nittany Lion Wrestling Club representative, also begins competition Saturday against China's Awusayiman Habila. Snyder won a gold medal in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and a silver medal in Tokyo three years ago.- Former Nittany Lions women's soccer players Alyssa Naeher and Sam Coffey are going for gold with Team USA against Brazil on at 11 a.m. ET Saturday.- Team USA women's volleyball, featuring former Nittany Lions Haleigh Washington and Micha Hancock, play for gold against Italy at 7 a.m. ET Sunday.- Former Nittany Lion Tanisha Wright is a scout for Team USA women's basketball, and the Americans secured their place in the gold medal game with an 85-64 win over Australia. They'll face either France or Belgium at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday.Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for Lions247 and 247Sports. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:daniel.gallen@paramount.com">daniel.gallen@paramount.com</a>. Follow Daniel on X at <a href="http://www.x.com/danieljtgallen">@danieljtgallen</a> and Instagram at <a href="http://www.instagram.com/bydanieljtgallen">@bydanieljtgallen</a>.</div></body>

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Penn State wrestler Aaron Brooks captures bronze; 4 former Nittany Lions win bronze in volleyball, soccer

Aaron Brooks put together a sparkling collegiate career at Penn State. And now, the former Nittany Lion has an impressive international accolade on his resume: a bronze medal. Brooks defeated Uzbekistan's Javrail Shapiev, 5-0, in the bronze medal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on Friday. It's Penn...