Christiansburg’s Brady Hand has announced plans to continue his wrestling career at Appalachian State University.
Hand, who is a three-time Virginia champion, chose the school after a visit this past month.
“Once I got there, I didn’t want to leave. They have just best team culture in the country,” he said this past week.
Hand is coming off a VHSL title at 144. His wins as a freshman came at 120, and then at 138 as a sophomore. He expects to possibly move up to 150 for his senior year.
Looking back at his career, the rising senior described it as great with several ups and downs. He has been a part of a Christiansburg program, which had been at the top of the mountain, and is now trying to regroup and get back to a possible team championship.
“We have lots of good young wrestlers and will be back there this coming season. I would much rather win a team title than another individual one,” he said.
Hand, who started wrestling when he was five years old, is pushing 600 overall wins in his career including over 100 in VHSL competition. He finished 35-4 this past season.
Appy State is located in Boone, North Carolina and has a current enrollment of 21,570 students.
The school’s sports teams are nicknamed the Mountaineers and compete in NCAA Division I. This past season, the school won the Southern Conference title and sent three wrestlers to the NCAA overall tournament.
Hand hopes to major in business with a minor in sports science.
