{"id":492746,"date":"2025-06-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=492746"},"modified":"2025-06-25T13:13:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T13:13:05","slug":"illinois-guard-soldier-returns-to-college-wrestling-after-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=492746","title":{"rendered":"Illinois Guard Soldier Returns to College Wrestling After Deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Spc.
\n <\/a>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n 1 \/ 2<\/span>
\n
\n Show Caption +<\/span>
\n Hide Caption \u2013<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n Spc. Joe Braunagel, right, trains during a wrestling session at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, June 17, 2025. Braunagel, who serves in the Illinois Army National Guard, brings military discipline and mental toughness to the mat.
(Photo Credit: 2nd Lt. Trenton Fouche)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \"Spc.
\n <\/a>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n 2 \/ 2<\/span>
\n
\n Show Caption +<\/span>
\n Hide Caption \u2013<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n
\n
\n Spc. Joe Braunagel pauses for a moment during wrestling practice at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, June 17, 2025. Braunagel\u2019s commitment to physical and mental toughness has been shaped by his service with the Illinois Army National Guard.
(U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Trenton Fouche, Joint Force Headquarters \u2013 Illinois National Guard)
\n (Photo Credit: 2nd Lt. Trenton Fouche)<\/span>
\n <\/span>
\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
\n <\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, Ill. \u2013 Before he returned to the wrestling mat at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Spc. Joe Braunagel of O\u2019Fallon, Illinois, returned from something much more intense \u2014 a military deployment to the Middle East with the Illinois Army National Guard.<\/p>\n

Braunagel, a combat engineer, deployed with Kankakee-based C Co., 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment. He returned in April after nearly a year deployed to the Middle East, where he helped protect U.S. forces and assets and trained with U.S. allies in the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a University of Illinois Division 1 NCAA college athlete who put both his academics and his college athletic career on hold to deploy into a volatile region of the world for nearly a year,\u201d said Brig. Gen. Lenny Williams, the assistant adjutant general \u2013 Army of the Illinois National Guard and commander of the Illinois Army National Guard. \u201cHe\u2019s an impressive young man with outstanding values and a great future ahead of him. I am deeply honored to serve with Spc. Braunagel and other Soldiers just like him, who are willing to sacrifice so much for our incredible nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Braunagel\u2019s Army National Guard experience, paired with his background in athletics, forged a mindset built on grit, selflessness and resilience. Now back on campus, Braunagel continues to defy expectations as a student-athlete and Soldier, balancing college life with military service and Division I athletics.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the Army National Guard because I wanted to give back to my country,\u201d said Braunagel, who has returned to his original unit, the Marseilles-based A Co., 766th Brigade Engineer Battalion. \u201cI didn\u2019t want my parents to have to pay for college, so I started looking for scholarships. When I learned about the Illinois Guard Grant and GI Bill, it made perfect sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enlisting on Feb. 24, 2020, Braunagel entered basic training just after graduating high school. Within months, he began classes at UIUC and joined the university\u2019s wrestling team, balancing a demanding schedule made more intense by weekend drills, coursework and early morning practices. He never backed down from the challenge, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe brings a level of discipline to the team that is a direct representation of his service in the military,\u201d said Austin O\u2019Conner, assistant wrestling coach. \u201cWe have around 40 wrestlers on the roster, but Joe stands out. He matured a lot after deployment. He exuberates the values we see in the military \u2014 loyalty, duty, respect, and selfless service.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those values run deep in the Braunagel household. Joe is one of four brothers, all of whom have pursued paths in service and athletics. His older brother Zac is a recent UIUC graduate and a former wrestler who now mentors the current team. Another brother, Danny, also wrestles at Illinois, and their eldest brother, Jarrid, serves in the U.S. Marine Corps.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe grew up in a military family,\u201d Zac Braunagel said. \u201cOur grandfather was in the Air Force, our dad served in the Navy, and now Jarrid and Joe are continuing that legacy. It was normal for us to talk about service, and we were raised to respect it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zac said his brother\u2019s maturity and presence have noticeably grown since joining the Guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe brings great energy to practice,\u201d Zac said. \u201cHe knows how to boost morale and get others out of their shell. That discipline and mental toughness transfers from the Guard to wrestling.\u201d<\/p>\n

That same discipline helped Joe stay focused throughout his recent deployment. His family kept in touch regularly, even if to share moments through online games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Joe\u2019s deployment last year, our family was stressed,\u201d Zac recalled. \u201cWe relied on faith and supported him however we could. When he came home, it was a big relief.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the stress of juggling multiple responsibilities, Braunagel said serving in the Guard has only strengthened his ability to manage his time and stay motivated.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrilling once a month doesn\u2019t detract at all from school or wrestling,\u201d he said. \u201cMy professors and coaches are very supportive. I just stay ahead on my schoolwork and communicate when I need time off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sgt. 1st Class Elisha Capili, an Illinois Army National Guard recruiter in Champaign, said Braunagel sets the standard for what\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpc. Braunagel stands as a powerful example that college athletes can proudly serve in the Illinois Army National Guard while taking full advantage of the Guard\u2019s benefits,\u201d Capili said.<\/p>\n

Braunagel is working on his degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism. He believes both his education and his service will set him up for success after graduation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing part of the Guard and attending the University of Illinois has allowed me to meet people and network. I believe it\u2019ll open the door for job opportunities,\u201d Braunagel said.<\/p>\n

While his future is still taking shape, Braunagel remains focused on the present by putting in the work both as a Soldier and as an athlete.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Guard, we are a family,\u201d he said. \u201cOn the wrestling team, we are a family. I do what I can to help both teams. We work hard and build camaraderie along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.nationalguard.mil<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheNationalGuard<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/x.com\/USNationalGuard<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 Spc. Joe Braunagel, right, trains during a wrestling session at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, June 17, 2025. Braunagel, who serves in the Illinois Army National Guard, brings military discipline and mental toughness to the mat. (Photo Credit: 2nd Lt. Trenton Fouche) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 \/ […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":528,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=492746"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":492747,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492746\/revisions\/492747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=492746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=492746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=492746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}