"Wrestling Champ Richie Clementi Selected as Sugar Bowl Athlete of the Month

Brother Martin Star and Four-Time State Champ Earns February Honor

NEW ORLEANS (March 7, 2025) – Richie Clementi, a four-time state champion wrestler from Brother Martin High School, has been selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl Athlete of the Month for February. Athletes of the month have been selected by the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee since 1957. The athlete must be a native of the greater New Orleans area or must compete for a team in the metropolitan region to be eligible. Clementi is the first Brother Martin athlete to earn the honor since September of 2015 – another Crusader wrestler, Paul Klein, also was recognized after winning his fourth state championship in February of 2015.

Allstate Sugar Bowl Athletes of the Month

Clementi became the third four-time state champion in Brother Martin wrestling history (and just the 22nd in state history) when he dominated the 144-pound division with four pins and a shutout in the final at the state meet in Bossier City on Feb. 15. Clementi helped lead the Crusaders to a Division I runner-up finish behind state champion Jesuit. The senior pinned four consecutive opponents in a total of just four minutes and 38 seconds before shutting out No. 2 seed Cole Gros of Dutchtown 8-0 in the championship match.

Clementi finished his season 41-3, unbeaten in Louisiana, and had an overall record of 186-7 in his storied career. He has committed to wrestle at California Baptist University.

The senior won the honor over one of the more impressive fields in recent years. There were a total of 10 nominees, including three state champion soccer players, three collegiate stars, a bowling prodigy, a baseball ace, and another state champion wrestler."