Hall of Fame
Orange Lutheran alumnus Kelan Bragg '07 came into high school as a freshman with the goal of playing football. Bragg was a standout on the gridiron as a two-way starter for the Lancers at center and defensive end. He was a 1st Team All-Trinity League honoree and was part of the program's first and only CIF State championship in 2006.
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But where Bragg really made his mark at OLu was on the wrestling mat, where he won back-to-back CIF titles in the 171-pound weight class in 2006 and 2007.
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An unexpected path for his athletic journey, Bragg was one of the most dominant athletes to compete at an elite level in both sports during his time as a Lancer. In recognition of his success in the OLu wrestling program and his achievements across both wrestling and football, Bragg will be honored this summer as one of eight inductees in the 2025 Orange Lutheran Athletics Hall of Fame.
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Already committed to playing football, Bragg knew he wanted to add another sport during the offseason to stay active. During his freshman year, a friend suggested he try wrestling, a sport he found to be complementary to his football training. He joined the program led by former OLu wrestling head coach Dan Moyer and found a connection to the sport and a mentor who helped shape his wrestling journey.
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It wasn't until after his sophomore year that Bragg began to experience success in both sports. During his sophomore wrestling season, he saw significant improvement and then spent the summer attending wrestling camps to get extra training and work on his technique alongside top-level athletes. While he continued to play football, wrestling became his main priority.
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"I liked the individual aspect of it," said Bragg of wrestling. "It's a mental grind. If I lost, (I knew) it was my fault. And if I won, it was because of the work I put in. I enjoyed football for the friendships and camaraderie, but the individual aspect of wrestling is really what I enjoyed about it because you get out of it what you put into it."
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Bragg tore his meniscus during his junior wrestling season and had surgery 2-1/2 weeks before the CIF meet. It was risky returning to competition so soon, but with his goal of wrestling in college, he knew the CIF meets were crucial for gaining exposure.
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Bragg entered the meet seeded fourth, and despite not being at full strength, he exceeded expectations and won the 2006 CIF title. He advanced to the CIF Masters meet, where he took 6th place, and went on to the CIF State meet, where he went 1-2.
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In his senior year, Bragg delivered an even stronger performance. He dominated the competition as the top seed at the CIF meet, earning his second consecutive title and the tournament MVP award. He also competed at the CIF Masters and State meets, finishing in the top 12. His outstanding performance led to his recognition as the Orange County Wrestling Coaches Association Male Wrestler of the Year.
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Bragg went on to wrestle at the collegiate level for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he spent four years as part of a talented team that included national champions and Olympic medalists. He competed in multiple weight classes over his time at Cal Poly, and during his senior season, he finished fourth at the Pac-10 meet and ranked 32nd nationally. The team achieved a ranking of #13 in the country during his time in the program.
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All while he was competing, Bragg majored in business with a concentration in management and human resources and balanced the demands of athletics and academics.
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"Wrestling is super, super tough when you get to the collegiate level, and especially when you're doing it at a school that's academically challenging," said Bragg. "So to be able to balance studying, cutting weight and practice, it's a mental grind. But that was all worth it to me."
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Bragg credits his time at OLu for preparing him for the intense path of Division 1 athletics.
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"At Orange Lutheran, there's such a strong emphasis behind academics and athletics that it prepared me super well," said Bragg. "It helped me understand how to balance that in college."
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His time in OLu's football program led Bragg to CIF and State championships, and his senior year, he was a National Football Foundation High School Scholar-Athlete Award recipient, honoring high school football players who excel both academically and athletically.
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Having attended St. Paul's Lutheran School, Bragg grew up alongside many of his future OLu football teammates, a connection he believes played a key role in their success as a team.
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"We all knew each other from elementary school, and we had a lot of good chemistry," said Bragg. "In a team atmosphere like that, having that kind of cohesiveness made a huge difference because we were all friends."
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After graduating from Cal Poly in 2012, Bragg went on to work for his family's business, Bragg Companies, and is currently the Vice President of the Crane Services division. He is married to fellow OLu alum Kelcie (Pinick) Bragg '07, and the couple has three children, ages four, two, and six months.
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The transition from attending a Lutheran school from age four through high school to entering a public college was significant, but Bragg feels OLu prepared him for that step as well.
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"It comes down to the kind of people that are there and having a solid, firm belief in what you believe in," said Bragg. "Orange Lutheran did a great job of preparing me for that and for finding the right group of friends when I was in college."
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For Bragg, being honored for his athletic achievements as a Lancer is both meaningful and humbling, and he hopes his induction into the Orange Lutheran Athletics Hall of Fame motivates the next generation of OLu wrestlers to reach even greater heights.
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"I think it's awesome, especially for wrestling," said Bragg. "It means a lot to me to be acknowledged in that respect with the amount of time and effort that goes into being successful in a sport like wrestling. Hopefully, it inspires those on the team right now and gives them some aspirations."
