Carter Starocci on NCAA Wrestling Tournament: 'I'm like fully healthy'

Carter Starocci is ready to go for NCAAs and to win his fourth national title for Penn State wrestling.

The three-time champion at 174 pounds took two medical defaults in the Big Ten Championships due to a leg injury sustained in the final dual meet of the year. Admittedly, Starocci called the situation frustrating but was happy to have someone like head coach Cael Sanderson in his corner thinking of the bigger picture.

Getting an at-large bid, Starocci was granted the No. 9 seed in the 174 pound bracket. But if he’s close to full health, it’s going to be tough to stop him, even being lower than expected.

“I’m like fully healthy. I can do everything right now,” Starocci said. “At the end of the day a Big Ten title is cool, so is an NCAA title, but all that stuff comes and goes. I just truly enjoy really beating on guys. I can’t do this forever, so I want to make sure I take everybody out and do it again and again, so that’s fun for me.”

When asked about Sanderson holding him out, Starocci eventually understood.

“He’s the man,” Starocci said. “He’s done everything I’ve ever wanted to do in this life in wrestling, outside of wrestling. …. I would do anything for coach Cael.”

If Starocci was at full health, a No. 1 seed was the likely outcome. Now seeded No. 9, Starocci has a potentially quarterfinal matchup with No. 1 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech), the 2019 national champion at 165 pounds. The two also met in the 2022 NCAA finals at 174 pounds.

Not only that, former Stanford national champion Shane Griffith (Michigan) was seeded No. 4. All three on the same side of the bracket? Sounds like a gauntlet.

“I want to earn my spot … I kind of like it,” Starocci said prior to the bracket reveal. “I don’t care what they seed me at. Don’t even have me seeded, just have me wrestle every single kid in the bracket, one by one, and I’ll take them all on in three days. I just think it’s more enjoyable this way.

“I just like beating people up. That’s just really fun for me. Not being able to compete at the Big Ten’s, I’m just ready (now) … It’s going to be business.”

Sanderson assured everyone that Starocci will be ready to go. The latter will go for his historic fourth title, joining rarified air and possibly current teammate Aaron Brooks who will attempt to do the same.

“He’ll be ready to go. He’s Carter. He’s just passionate. He loves wrestling. He’s a competitor. He wants to win,” Sanderson said. “He wants to be the greatest and he wants to dominate every match. I love it, I think it’s great.” “It’ll be a better Carter Starocci because I believe as every day goes on I keep getting better.”