Penn State's Carter Starocci 'Fully Healthy' for NCAA Wrestling Championships
Before the NCAA released brackets for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships, Penn State's Carter Starocci offered a suggestion.
"Don’t even have me seeded," Starocci told reporters in State College on Wednesday. "Just have me wrestle every single kid in the bracket one by one and I’ll take them all out inside three days. That’s the same plan. I think it’s more enjoyable this way."
So yes, Starocci is ready ("I'm fully healthy,' he said) to win his fourth NCAA wrestling title. After what Penn State coach Cael Sanderson termed "some drama" at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships last weekend, Starocci is bound for Kansas City, where he and teammate Aaron Brooks could become the first and second Penn State wrestlers to win four NCAA titles. They also would join their head coach among the currently five wrestlers who have won four titles. For Starocci, that prospect enriches the opportunity.
"He's the man," Starocci said of Sanderson, the only undefeated four-time champ in NCAA history. "He's done everything that I ever want to do in this life inside wrestling and outside of wrestling. Almost every word that he says, that comes out of his mouth — maybe besides that day — I'm always on board with. I would do anything for coach Cael."
And thus closed the Big Ten Championships, where Starocci took two injury defaults at 174 pounds and did not compete while his team won its second consecutive conference championship. Starocci had intended to wrestle at the tournament, conducted less than two weeks after he sustained a leg injury in the Nittany Lions' regular-season finale against Edinboro, but Sanderson decided otherwise. Though he didn't wrestle, Starocci received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships, as was expected for the three-time defending champ.
Starocci admitted to being frustrated at not wrestling and venting on social media. "Looking forward to a new chapter," he posted Sunday. "Thank you Penn State forever."
A few days later he followed up: "Big ten title is cool but NCAA title is cooler. Next chapter: Kansas City."
"He's just passionate," Sanderson told reporters at his media availability Wednesday. "He loves wrestling. He's a competitor, he wants to win, he wants to be the greatest and he wants to dominate every match. I love it. I think it's great."
In a hugely entertaining media session Wednesday, Starocci brimmed with the confidence he has demonstrated during his Penn State career. He backed Sanderson completely, made his seeding proposal and essentially challenged the field to a collective dual. Though his 64-bout win streak ended at the Big Ten Championships, Starocci is certain it will reach five at NCAAs.
Here's Starocci on Sanderson:
"It was frustrating [not to wrestle at the Big Ten Championships], but I think, just looking back on it, it’s a blessing to have a coach who really cares about me not just as a wrestler but as a person. I think he’s in a lose-lose situation. He puts me out there and then he’s kind of second-guessing himself. Or the other alternative is, I’m getting pissed at him. But at the end of the day, he’s the boss man. I work for him. So whatever he decides, I’m going to roll with."
Here's Starocci on his health:
"I was ready to go. And for me, I’m like fully healthy. I can do everything right now."
And here's Starocci on his mission, which Sanderson has called "search and destroy":
"I think me being a competitor and who I am, I just want to take all those guys out and keep sending messages. ... I just truly enjoy really beating on guys. I can’t do this forever, so as I’m doing it, I want to make sure I take everybody out and do it again and again."
Before the injury, Starocci had wrestled a compact but dominant schedule this season. He entered NCAAs with just a 12-0 record, having missed a few matches (including the team's January trip to Michigan and Michigan State) due to illness. Still, Starocci won 10 of those bouts with bonus points, including six via technical fall. Starocci had a technical fall locked and was pursuing a pin when he sustained the injury against Edinboro.
Sanderson said that the weekend off at Big Tens, though bitter to Starocci, was "definitely the right decision."
"He was going to wrestle that day, and he probably would have done really well, but the risk of it didn’t make sense," Sanderson said. "He’s doing well. He’s getting better and feeling better pretty much every day. These days are big, and he’s seeing progress every day."
Starocci ultimately received the No. 9 seed at 174 pounds, the product of a seeding formula that quantifies success numerically and doesn't consider past results. Of course, Starocci didn't care. Here's how much better he's feeling.
"Me not being able to compete at the Big Tens, I'm ready to cut every one of these dudes' throats off," Starocci said. "So it's going to be business. ... I don't think it will be a different Carter Starocci. It will be a better Carter Starocci."
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