Wrestling Unveils Eight-Member Incoming Class of 2025
4/29/2021 10:00:00 AM | Wrestling
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University wrestling will welcome eight freshmen to the program for the start of the 2021-22 season as part of the Class of 2025, Brown head coach Todd Beckerman announced on Thursday.
The class includes state champions, state and prep finalists, nationally ranked wrestlers, and a combined 21 overall state medalists. The group comprises six student-athletes from the state of Pennsylvania alongside one wrestler each from New York and Nebraska. The group represents wrestlers from across the lower, middle, and upper weight classes.
"We are really excited to bring this recruiting class into the Brown community! Credit to our staff for finding the best and brightest," Brown head coach Todd Beckerman said. "As we look ahead to competition next season, we know that they will play a big part in helping our program continue to move forward and bringing excitement for our alumni and fans to watch compete."
The Brown wrestling Class of 2025 includes 184-pounder James Araneo (Stony Brook, N.Y.), 184/197-pounder Drew Clearie (Nazareth, Pa.), 165-pounder AJ Corrado (Burrell, Pa.), 141/149-pounder Sam McMonagle (Downington, Pa.), 141/149-pounder Ian Oswalt (Lower Burrell, Pa.), 197-pounder Tony Pray (Omaha, Neb.), 157-pounder Mason Spears (Murrysville, Pa.), and 174-pounder Harrison Trahan (Stewartstown, Pa.).
James Araneo
Weight Class: 184 lbs.
Height: 6-foot-1
Hometown: Stony Brook, N.Y.
High School: Ward Melville
Prep Accolades: Placed second at the New York State Championships in 2021 and fourth at the state championships in 2020 … Earned All-County honors four times … Captured three league championships … Reached the county finals in 2020 … Came in fifth at the Eastern States Classic in 2020 … Went 19-2 as a freshman, 37-5 as a sophomore, and 44-5 as a junior; compiled a 100-12 record over those three seasons; senior season shortened due to COVID-19 … Competed on the club level for Barn Wrestling Club … Also played lacrosse … National Honor Society student … Earned Scholar-Athlete honors.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because it gives me the best of both worlds, I am able to receive an extremely high-level degree, while also being able to wrestle at the highest collegiate level possible. The team and coaching staff are also unlike any other. It really is a family."
Drew Clearie
Weight Class: 184/197 pounds
Height: 5-foot-11
Hometown: Nazareth, Pa.
High School: Nazareth Area
Prep Accolades: Placed third at the state championships in both 2020 and 2021 and sixth at the state championships in 2019 … Selected to compete in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling All-Star Classic for Team Pennsylvania vs. Team USA … Ranked No. 145 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Ranked No. 32 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Compiled over 100 career wins … Wrestled for coaches Dave Crowell, Steve Klass, Adam Colombo, Luke Garner, and Joe Provini … Honor Roll student … Co-founded the non-profit Create a Path 1st with a mission to help inner-city youth identify their interests, talents, and passions.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because of the academic excellence and diverse student body. Geographically I love the area and the campus."
AJ Corrado
Weight Class: 165 lbs.
Height: 6-foot-0
Hometown: Burrell, Pa.
High School: Burrell
Prep Accolades: Won a 2021 Pennsylvania State Championship … Medaled at the state tournament all four years … Reached the state finals twice … Earned a national ranking per FloWrestling … Ranked No. 166 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Ranked No. 26 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Captured four Section Championships … Earned two WPIAL titles … Claimed championships for Westmoreland County, the Southwest Regional, and the West Super Region … Selected to compete in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling All-Star Classic for Team Pennsylvania vs. Team USA … Went 38-0 as a senior … Compiled a 159-35 career record … Wrestled for head coach Josh Shields … Competed on the club level for Mat Factory Wrestling Club and Team Nauman Wrestling Club; won two individual national championships and six team national championships at the club level … Also played football as a wide receiver and defensive back for head coach Shawn Liotta; earned First Team All-Conference … Garnered Pennsylvania All-Academic Wrestling Team laurels.
Why Brown? "It is important to get the best education possible. That is why I chose Brown. Its open curriculum encourages students to take a variety of courses, without being limited by a rigid structure of majors. On my visit I was inspired by the creativity of the students working in the engineering building."
Sam McMonagle
Weight Class: 141/149 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-9
Hometown: Downingtown, Pa.
High School: Henderson
Prep Accolades: Placed fourth at the Pennsylvania State Championships in 2021 and seventh in 2020 … Ranked No. 57 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Captured a King of the Mountain championship … Came in fourth at Escape the Rock … Served team as a two-year captain … Compiled a 121-23 mark over those three years, setting a school record for wins in a season (46) as a sophomore … Wrestled for coach Rob Beighley … Competed on the club level for the Lancaster Alliance Wrestling Club … National Honor Society Member.
Why Brown? "I came to campus for the first time in eighth grade for a camp and wanted to go to Brown ever since. The great academics and athletics are unmatched and made Brown an easy choice."
Ian Oswalt
Weight Class: 141/149 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-8
Hometown: Lower Burrell, Pa.
High School: Burrell
Prep Accolades: Medaled at the Pennsylvania State Championships all four years … Reached the state finals twice … Ranked No. 17 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Won four straight district titles … Placed three times at the Powerade Championships … Won the Ronald Garrison Outstanding Senior WPIAL Wrestling award … Garnered Wrestler of the Year accolades … Selected for the Dapper Dan WPIAL All-Star Team … Compiled a 166-24 career record … Wrestled for head coach Josh Shields … Competed on the club level for The Mat Factory … Also competed in cross country and tennis … National Honor Society and Distinguished Honors student.
Why Brown? "The open curriculum at Brown fits my learning style best, and it also will help me attain my academic and career goals. The wrestling staff at Brown is also very talented and will help push me to reach my goal of becoming a national champion. The location and campus were also what I was looking for in my life as a student-athlete."
Tony Pray
Weight Class: 197 pounds
Height: 6-foot-0
Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
High School: Creighton Preparatory School
Prep Accolades: Won a state championship as a junior … Came in second place at the state tournament as a sophomore … Placed sixth at the state tournament as a freshman … Ranked No. 99 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Gained fifth place at Preseason Nationals as a junior … Wrestled for coaches Andrew Fisher, Rowan Stander, Zac Dominguez, and Dane Peterson … National Honor Society member … Honors student.
Why Brown? "I loved the campus and the way the curriculum was modeled. It seemed like a great experience and an amazing education."
Mason Spears
Weight Class: 157 pounds
Height: 5-foot-10
Hometown: Murrysville, Pa.
High School: Franklin Regional
Prep Accolades: Placed sixth at the Pennsylvania State Championships in 2020 … Captured a King of the Mountain title in 2018 … Finished as a WCCA Runner-Up twice … Came in as a runner-up at the WPIAL … Selected for the Dapper Dan WPIAL All-Star Team … Wrestled for coaches Matt Lebe and Greg Still … Competed on the club level for Young Guns Wrestling Club … Highest Honors with Distinction student … National Honor Society member.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because I wanted to go to a place where I could both win a national title and also accomplish my academic goals in becoming a M.D."
Harrison Trahan
Weight Class: 174 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-10
Hometown: Stewartstown, Pa.
High School: McDonogh School (Md.)
Prep Accolades: Won a MIS State Championship … Placed second at National Preps in 2020 and seventh in 2018 … Captured the MSWA Unified High School Championship in 2021 … Ranked No. 46 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Compiled over 100 wins in high school career … Selected for the Dapper Dan Maryland All-Star Team … Wrestled for coaches Pete Welch and Joe Blackwell.
Why Brown? "When I visited Brown I loved the campus and the coaches and felt like it was where I belonged."
Gallery: (4-29-2021) Wrestling Class of 2025
The class includes state champions, state and prep finalists, nationally ranked wrestlers, and a combined 21 overall state medalists. The group comprises six student-athletes from the state of Pennsylvania alongside one wrestler each from New York and Nebraska. The group represents wrestlers from across the lower, middle, and upper weight classes.
"We are really excited to bring this recruiting class into the Brown community! Credit to our staff for finding the best and brightest," Brown head coach Todd Beckerman said. "As we look ahead to competition next season, we know that they will play a big part in helping our program continue to move forward and bringing excitement for our alumni and fans to watch compete."
The Brown wrestling Class of 2025 includes 184-pounder James Araneo (Stony Brook, N.Y.), 184/197-pounder Drew Clearie (Nazareth, Pa.), 165-pounder AJ Corrado (Burrell, Pa.), 141/149-pounder Sam McMonagle (Downington, Pa.), 141/149-pounder Ian Oswalt (Lower Burrell, Pa.), 197-pounder Tony Pray (Omaha, Neb.), 157-pounder Mason Spears (Murrysville, Pa.), and 174-pounder Harrison Trahan (Stewartstown, Pa.).
James Araneo
Weight Class: 184 lbs.
Height: 6-foot-1
Hometown: Stony Brook, N.Y.
High School: Ward Melville
Prep Accolades: Placed second at the New York State Championships in 2021 and fourth at the state championships in 2020 … Earned All-County honors four times … Captured three league championships … Reached the county finals in 2020 … Came in fifth at the Eastern States Classic in 2020 … Went 19-2 as a freshman, 37-5 as a sophomore, and 44-5 as a junior; compiled a 100-12 record over those three seasons; senior season shortened due to COVID-19 … Competed on the club level for Barn Wrestling Club … Also played lacrosse … National Honor Society student … Earned Scholar-Athlete honors.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because it gives me the best of both worlds, I am able to receive an extremely high-level degree, while also being able to wrestle at the highest collegiate level possible. The team and coaching staff are also unlike any other. It really is a family."
Drew Clearie
Weight Class: 184/197 pounds
Height: 5-foot-11
Hometown: Nazareth, Pa.
High School: Nazareth Area
Prep Accolades: Placed third at the state championships in both 2020 and 2021 and sixth at the state championships in 2019 … Selected to compete in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling All-Star Classic for Team Pennsylvania vs. Team USA … Ranked No. 145 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Ranked No. 32 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Compiled over 100 career wins … Wrestled for coaches Dave Crowell, Steve Klass, Adam Colombo, Luke Garner, and Joe Provini … Honor Roll student … Co-founded the non-profit Create a Path 1st with a mission to help inner-city youth identify their interests, talents, and passions.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because of the academic excellence and diverse student body. Geographically I love the area and the campus."
AJ Corrado
Weight Class: 165 lbs.
Height: 6-foot-0
Hometown: Burrell, Pa.
High School: Burrell
Prep Accolades: Won a 2021 Pennsylvania State Championship … Medaled at the state tournament all four years … Reached the state finals twice … Earned a national ranking per FloWrestling … Ranked No. 166 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Ranked No. 26 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Captured four Section Championships … Earned two WPIAL titles … Claimed championships for Westmoreland County, the Southwest Regional, and the West Super Region … Selected to compete in the prestigious Dapper Dan Wrestling All-Star Classic for Team Pennsylvania vs. Team USA … Went 38-0 as a senior … Compiled a 159-35 career record … Wrestled for head coach Josh Shields … Competed on the club level for Mat Factory Wrestling Club and Team Nauman Wrestling Club; won two individual national championships and six team national championships at the club level … Also played football as a wide receiver and defensive back for head coach Shawn Liotta; earned First Team All-Conference … Garnered Pennsylvania All-Academic Wrestling Team laurels.
Why Brown? "It is important to get the best education possible. That is why I chose Brown. Its open curriculum encourages students to take a variety of courses, without being limited by a rigid structure of majors. On my visit I was inspired by the creativity of the students working in the engineering building."
Sam McMonagle
Weight Class: 141/149 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-9
Hometown: Downingtown, Pa.
High School: Henderson
Prep Accolades: Placed fourth at the Pennsylvania State Championships in 2021 and seventh in 2020 … Ranked No. 57 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Captured a King of the Mountain championship … Came in fourth at Escape the Rock … Served team as a two-year captain … Compiled a 121-23 mark over those three years, setting a school record for wins in a season (46) as a sophomore … Wrestled for coach Rob Beighley … Competed on the club level for the Lancaster Alliance Wrestling Club … National Honor Society Member.
Why Brown? "I came to campus for the first time in eighth grade for a camp and wanted to go to Brown ever since. The great academics and athletics are unmatched and made Brown an easy choice."
Ian Oswalt
Weight Class: 141/149 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-8
Hometown: Lower Burrell, Pa.
High School: Burrell
Prep Accolades: Medaled at the Pennsylvania State Championships all four years … Reached the state finals twice … Ranked No. 17 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Won four straight district titles … Placed three times at the Powerade Championships … Won the Ronald Garrison Outstanding Senior WPIAL Wrestling award … Garnered Wrestler of the Year accolades … Selected for the Dapper Dan WPIAL All-Star Team … Compiled a 166-24 career record … Wrestled for head coach Josh Shields … Competed on the club level for The Mat Factory … Also competed in cross country and tennis … National Honor Society and Distinguished Honors student.
Why Brown? "The open curriculum at Brown fits my learning style best, and it also will help me attain my academic and career goals. The wrestling staff at Brown is also very talented and will help push me to reach my goal of becoming a national champion. The location and campus were also what I was looking for in my life as a student-athlete."
Tony Pray
Weight Class: 197 pounds
Height: 6-foot-0
Hometown: Omaha, Neb.
High School: Creighton Preparatory School
Prep Accolades: Won a state championship as a junior … Came in second place at the state tournament as a sophomore … Placed sixth at the state tournament as a freshman … Ranked No. 99 overall in the nation in the MatScouts Rokfin Top 250 Rankings … Gained fifth place at Preseason Nationals as a junior … Wrestled for coaches Andrew Fisher, Rowan Stander, Zac Dominguez, and Dane Peterson … National Honor Society member … Honors student.
Why Brown? "I loved the campus and the way the curriculum was modeled. It seemed like a great experience and an amazing education."
Mason Spears
Weight Class: 157 pounds
Height: 5-foot-10
Hometown: Murrysville, Pa.
High School: Franklin Regional
Prep Accolades: Placed sixth at the Pennsylvania State Championships in 2020 … Captured a King of the Mountain title in 2018 … Finished as a WCCA Runner-Up twice … Came in as a runner-up at the WPIAL … Selected for the Dapper Dan WPIAL All-Star Team … Wrestled for coaches Matt Lebe and Greg Still … Competed on the club level for Young Guns Wrestling Club … Highest Honors with Distinction student … National Honor Society member.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because I wanted to go to a place where I could both win a national title and also accomplish my academic goals in becoming a M.D."
Harrison Trahan
Weight Class: 174 lbs.
Height: 5-foot-10
Hometown: Stewartstown, Pa.
High School: McDonogh School (Md.)
Prep Accolades: Won a MIS State Championship … Placed second at National Preps in 2020 and seventh in 2018 … Captured the MSWA Unified High School Championship in 2021 … Ranked No. 46 overall in the state of Pennsylvania in the PA Power Rankings … Compiled over 100 wins in high school career … Selected for the Dapper Dan Maryland All-Star Team … Wrestled for coaches Pete Welch and Joe Blackwell.
Why Brown? "When I visited Brown I loved the campus and the coaches and felt like it was where I belonged."
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