Jonathan Conrad commits to Brown

BY BRANT PARSONS —

For Carrollwood Day School senior Jonathan Conrad, the recruiting process narrowed down to one key point - he wanted a school that wanted him.

Conrad found that in Brown University and the four-time state champion told the Bears of his decision to attend last week.

“The coaching staff at Brown made me feel like I was wanted there and that I can make a big impact with them,” Conrad said.

The decision marks an end to an exhausting recruiting process that is even more harried this year with the additional year being given to wrestlers already in college because of COVID-19.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Jonathan,” longtime coach Jake Campbell said. “I’ve felt like he’s always been overlooked and all he does is work and find ways to win whether it’s on the mat or academically.”

It’s a decision that also shows that Conrad is as much of a star in the classroom as he is on the mat.

“The academics were a key thing,” Conrad said of his choice. “All of my options were high-level academic schools because that was important to me.”

The open curriculum at the Ivy League school was another selling point for Conrad, who plans to study business.

Conrad, who has a 4.27 GPA and takes Ivy prep courses at Carrollwood, is excited to tackle the academic load.

“Academics are always going to be hard and you just have to stay on top of it,” Conrad said. “The key to success is to plan ahead and know yourself and how to best manage your time.”

Longtime coach Jake Campbell and Jonathan Conrad after the Brown commit won his fourth state wrestling title in March, 2021.

With one season of high school wrestling still to go, Conrad has a few more goals to accomplish before heading off on the road to Rhode Island.

Conrad will join an elite group of seven wrestlers with a fifth individual state title this season. He also wants to finish the year nationally ranked.

He’ll continue to work on that goal by competing at big national events both before and during the season.

This weekend he is wrestling for Team Schutt at the Columbus Day Duals and he will compete in the Super 32 later this month.

During the season he’ll compete at both the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in Ohio and the Knockout Christmas Classic in Kissimmee.

“I will keep working on my mindset in these events,” Conrad said. “I’ve had the wrong mindset going into these kinds of events in the past and not realize that I am at a high level too.”

“I need to realize that I’m better than I think I am.”

He is.

He’s Ivy League good.