The national powerhouse Brock wrestling program has retooled its roster with the addition of several fresh faces. 

The Brock Badgers announced the signings of Austin Brabant, Aleena Dhanji, Jacob Kennedy, Sasha Krylov, Aiden O'Neill, Lazlo Paradis and Javier Tonita-Charriez on Thursday, Oct. 30.

"Our newest recruits bring talent, discipline and a hunger to improve," said associate coach Dave Collie. "They come from strong programs and great coaching. At Brock, they'll continue to grow, learn and add to our tradition of excellence." 

Brabant, a native of Thornton, Ont., is the first member of the prestigious Kempenfelt Bay (K-Bay) Wrestling Club to join the Badgers. He won a junior men's gold medal in the 79-kilogram division at the 2025 Ontario Junior Championships. 

A Bear Creek Secondary School graduate, Brabant recently captured an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) gold medal in the 83kg division. 

This past summer, the incoming Critical Criminology major won a gold medal with Team Ontario at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John's, N.L. He finished 5-0 in the team competition before ultimately placing fourth in the individual medal matches in the 77kg weight category. 

"Brock has a super strong wrestling team and a good reputation for student-athletes in their programs," Brabant said. "I look forward to getting better and growing with this team and the coaches." 

Joining Brabant from the K-Bay Wrestling Club is Dhanji, a Barrie, Ont., product, who is coming off a national bronze medal in the U-19 61kg weight class in 2024 and a provincial bronze medal in the juvenile 59kg weight class in 2025. 

With Bear Creek Secondary School, Dhanji won a gold medal at the 2024 OFSAA Wrestling Championships in the 61kg weight class and a bronze medal in the same event in 2025. 

Representing Ontario at the Nuway Summer Nationals in 2024, the Nursing student placed second in the freestyle 130lb event and third in the folkstyle 130lb event. 

"I chose to attend Brock University because I not only love the team here, but I also love the smaller campus, as well as the Niagara Region," Dhanji said. "When visiting the school, I fell in love with the nursing labs and sports facilities, and I could really imagine myself being here." 

The Badgers have gone south of the border for the next recruit, signing Kennedy from Garden City, Mich., and the Dearborn Heights Wildcats Wrestling Club, where he won a MYWAY state title in 2022 in the 155lb event. 

With his high school, John Glenn, he was a two-year captain and was a three-time state qualifier and two-time state placer, finishing eighth in 2023 and 2025. 

Kennedy received the Chancellor's First Nations Award from Brock University, which is awarded annually to one student coming directly from high school, who is First Nations and has a high level of academic standing. He also has received support from his tribe, the Oneida Nation of the Thames. 

"Being part of the Oneida Nation connects me to a rich history of my ancestry, culture and community that values strength, resilience and respect," Kennedy said. "I carry that pride with me in everything I do, whether it's in school, sports or everyday life. My heritage motivates me to work hard and represent my people in a positive way, both on and off the mat." 

Kennedy has chosen to study Sport Management at Brock University; home to Canada's only specialized Bachelor of Sport Management degree. 

Krylov, a member of the Team Impact Wrestling Club, joins the Badgers from Toronto and Newtonbrook Secondary School. 

At the 2024 OFSAA Championships with Newtonbrook, Krylov captured a gold medal, and he followed that up with a silver in 2025. 

"I came to Brock because of the wrestling and their top Sports Management program," Krylov said. "Going into the wrestling room and seeing all of the high level achievements my teammates have under their belt is amazing." 

O'Neill is another incoming recruit who competed at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John's, N.L., where he won a team gold medal for Team Ontario and an individual gold medal in the 60kg division. 

The Barrie, Ont., native started with the K-Bay Wrestling Club since his first year of wrestling in high school, gaining experience competing at provincial and international tournaments. 

With his high school, École Secondaire Catholique Nouvelle-Alliance, O'Neill claimed a silver medal at the 2025 OFSAA Championships and a bronze medal at the 2024 event. 

"Brock has a stellar wrestling team and I like both coaches," O'Neill said. "After visiting the campus I think I will enjoy my time learning business and make strong connections with others. After spending time with the men's team, I felt like they had a very strong bond which is something that's very important to me." 

Paradis is the first of two Saskatchewan wrestlers joining the Badgers wrestling room, having competed at nationals with Advanced Wrestling Academy out of Regina. 

At Campbell Collegiate, the incoming History student won three provincial medals with a gold medal in 2025 and silver medals in 2023 and 2024. 

Gaining experience with high-level competition, Paradis also placed second at the Canada Summer Games trials for Team Saskatchewan in the 60kg division.  

"I came to this University because I know it has one of the best wrestling programs in the country," Paradis said. "I'm looking forward to going to the next level in the sport I love." 

A club teammate of Paradis, Tonita-Charriez is the last recruit the Badgers have added and the second one from the province of Saskatchewan. 

This past summer, he competed for Canada at the U20 Pan-American Championships, where he placed ninth (57kg) in Lima, Peru. At the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay, he improved on his previous finish with a fourth-place results in the 57kg event.

At the 2025 Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) Championships, he captured a gold medal in the 59kg weight class, going undefeated along the way. He is also a U20 national champion, winning the 57kg division this past summer. 

"Brock University has a high-level wrestling program, and I felt it was the place to be if I wanted to reach my goals," Tonita-Charriez said. "I'm looking forward to being in a room with multiple wrestlers around my weight that could push my limits."

Also joining the Badgers is Emma Chartres, a previously announced recruit, who is a cadet (U17) national team member and two-time U17 national champion in the 47kg weight class. 

All these incoming recruits are joining a program filled with a history of success. The Brock women's team is coming off its 10th straight Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title and second consecutive national championship, while the men's program earned its ninth consecutive OUA title and has won 22 national championships.