Career Accolades
- 2026 NCAA Champion at 149 pounds
- ACC Co-Wrestler of the Year (2026)
- ACC Freshman of the Year (2026)
- NCAA All-American (2026)
- ACC Wrestler of the Week (Nov. 11, 2025)
As a Redshirt Freshman (2025-26)
- NCAA Champion at 149 pounds
- ACC Co-Wrestler of the Year
- ACC Freshman of the Year
- NCAA All-American
- The fifth Cardinal freshman to earn All-America honors
- ACC Wrestler of the Week (Nov. 11)
- Led Stanford to its best NCAA finish in program history, placing sixth as a team in Cleveland (March 19-21)
- No. 10 seed, became the first freshman champ in program history by defeating undefeated No. 1 seed Shayne Van Ness (Penn State), 8-5, in sudden victory
- Just the third individual national champion in school history and first since 2021
- Placed third at the ACC Championships in Blacksburg, Va. (March 8)
- 21-7 overall, 8-4 in duals
- Ended the season on a seven-match winning streak
- Placed fifth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 5-6)
As a Freshman (2024-25)
- Redshirted his first season on The Farm
- 3-3 overall, 3-1 in duals wrestling primarily at 141 pounds
- Secured a fall in his first collegiate match, pinning Zach Redding of Iowa State (Nov. 8) on the road in 5:50
Prior to Stanford
- A 2024 graduate of Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill
- 2024 France Grand Prix champ
- 2023 Senior U.S. Open sixth place (Freestyle)
- 2023 Senior World Trials sixth place (Freestyle)
- 2023 U20 World Trials finalist (Freestyle)
- 2022 Reno Tournament of Champions first place in the college division
- Most Outstanding Wrestler
- 2021 Super 32 finalist
- 2021 Fargo finalist
- 2020 U17 Greco-Roman World Team Member
- 2019 Austrian Flatz Open Gold Medalist (Freestyle)
- 2017 Freestyle World Champion
- 2017 Greco-Roman World Champion
- 2018-2020 3X Pan Am Gold Medalist | Judo
Personal
- Parents are Joel and Sandra Valencia
- Older sister Nyla wrestled at the University of Iowa
- Born in Redwood City
- Full name is Aden Joel Valencia
Career Numbers
| Year | Record | Dual Record | Dual Points | Falls | Technical Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 3-3 | 3-1 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 21-7 | 8-4 | 30 | 0 | 4 |
| Totals | 24-10 | 11-5 | 42 | 1 | 4 |