The Best Version Of Himself

Braxton Brown’s wrestling career trajectory changed on Nov. 20, 2023. 

Brown, a redshirt sophomore then wrestling at 125 pounds, was in danger of missing his weight ahead of a dual against No. 18 Pittsburgh. Head Maryland wrestling coach Alex Clemsen found out, and a long conversation ensued.

The player-to-coach conversation ended with Clemsen telling Brown not to worry about making 125 pounds. On the day of the dual, Brown weighed in at 133 pounds. Another discussion with his coach ensued. But this time, Clemsen asked Brown if he felt ready to perform in the 133-pound weight class. 

“I honestly told him, ‘I don't know,’” Brown said, reflecting on the events. “He said that with my training and whatnot, if I go and believe in myself, then anything is possible. And so that's what I did.”

Brown debuted at 133 pounds that day, earning an upset win over then-ranked No. 13 Vinnie Santianello, 6-3. He then continued wrestling at the weight for the remainder of the year, finishing the season with a 21-12 record and leading the team in wins (21) and technical falls (8). 

“I think our staff made a good decision there, but also credit him for believing in himself and saying, ‘I can move up weight classes and still be one of the strongest, most dominant guys,’” Clemsen said. “He started off his tenure at that weight class with a top-15 win. That's not easy to do.”

Brown finished his season with a sixth-place finish at the 2024 Big Ten Championships and an NCAA Championship qualification. 

He credits the weight class change as a career-defining move, casting doubt he would qualify for NCAAs if he remained wrestling at 125 pounds for the entire 2023-24 season.   

“It was day versus night,” Brown said regarding the switch. “Everyone saw the performance at 125 that year and then saw the performance at 133. I didn't get exactly what I wanted, but I feel like that move still changed my entire season. If I stayed at 125, I might not have competed at NCAA.”

The decision to have Brown change weight classes was due to his physical growth. Clemsen said Brown grew an inch and a half last season and added considerable muscle to his frame over the offseason.  

It was challenging for Brown to maintain his weight (125 pounds) from the previous year despite his growth. Brown admits he didn’t feel his best, and his record up to the change reflected that, going 1-4.   

The season prior, as a redshirt freshman in 2022-23, he won his first 14 dual bouts, including the first four in Big Ten competition. He finished 25-8 overall and 16-2 in duals, qualifying for NCAAs and finishing ninth at the Big Ten Championships.

So far in 2024-25, Brown is 14-1, with nine wins by bonus points and four wins over ranked opponents. Brown, the 11th-ranked wrestler in the nation at 133 pounds by both major wrestling publications, is currently riding a 10-match winning streak and also took second place at the Tiger Style Invite on Nov. 9, 2024. Brown credits his turnaround to his head coach and his belief in him. 

“He's got those words up on the wall: faith, accountability, perseverance, attitude and whatnot,” Brown said. “I think it comes down to our first word, which is faith. Faith is that blind trust. I came to Maryland under his name and have 100% faith in him. What he says is what goes, and when he said to move up to 133, I trusted him.”

Clemsen credits his student-athlete. He believes another component of his renewed success is his internal growth. He says Brown is making better decisions now as an upperclassman and has matured tremendously.  

“I give him credit for putting his foot down and making up his mind that he wants to try to be the best version of himself,” Clemsen said. “As a coach, as a leader and somebody who really cares about another individual, when you see them make that decision, you just can't be anything but proud and happy for him. I think the decisions he's making now will set him up for more future success when he leaves here as a husband, father and member of society.”

The redshirt junior from Allen, Texas, studies criminology and criminal justice. His team is coming off a weekend sweep in Michigan, featuring an upset over No. 10 Michigan, 19-18, and a win over Michigan State, 27-11. The wins marked the first time the Terps won two consecutive Big Ten duals in program history. Brown was a massive part of that, notching what proved to be a decisive win by fall against the Wolverines, as the Terps won on criteria thanks to Brown’s pin. 

Brown is eyeing a third consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships. His first full year in the 133-pound weight class and immense growth as an individual are two major catalysts that have fueled his and his coaches’ confidence in his ability to achieve the feat. 

“I'm feeling probably the best I felt out of the previous years I've been here,” Brown said. “I would love to be an NCAA champion. That's the ultimate goal. But anything could happen. So, as long as we're up on that podium, that's the goal.”