Carter Starocci responds to Gabe Arnold callout ahead of Penn State-Iowa dual

Carter Starocci responded to Gabe Arnold’s call out Monday ahead of Penn State’s dual against Iowa Friday night.

The No. 1 Nittany Lions have been bulldozing everyone in their path while No. 2 Iowa will look for a massive upset. Starocci and Arnold are scheduled to wrestle one another for the first time at 184 pounds Friday.

CLICK HERE to watch Unstoppable on Prime Video — The true story of the indomitable spirit of Anthony Robles

With Arnold promising an Iowa win, Starocci fired back.

“I thought the other guy was the starter,” Starocci said, referring to freshman 184 pounder Angelo Ferrari. “Didn’t the other guy win the tournament? I think the game plan is for the other guy. I think the other guy is a better wrestler but I don’t know. I think maybe (Arnold) is just trying to sell tickets but I think our crowd comes out every single time so there’s nothing to sell. I’ll be there Friday night ready to go.”

Ferarri is 9-0 this season and currently in redshirt. He was one of the top pound for pound recruits in the Class of 2024 and certainly made a case to start over Arnold this season.

The two were scheduled to wrestle in the finals of the Soldier Salute, as Starocci alluded to, but Ferrari won the finals via medical forfeit as the teammates didn’t actually grapple.

Arnold is 11-0 this year in his first full season as a starter. He’s coming off a 4-1 SV win over Ryder Rogotzke (Ohio State).

Starocci is currently 12-0 and searching for his 5th NCAA title. The four-time champion had the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 waiver.

He could become the first, and perhaps only wrestler ever to have the attempt, to win five NCAA individual titles.

“I’m gonna end this off on this. We got Penn State next week,” Arnold said after Iowa’s win over Ohio State. “And we didn’t get the job done last year, and that kind of sucks, but we’re gonna get it done this year. So this time, we’ll be in your home dojo. And I promise, your head’s mine. Book it.”

If Arnold and Iowa are to have any chance, they’ll need 133 pounder Drake Ayala back in the lineup. He was apparently dinged up and did not go Saturday against the Buckeyes.

Ayala was an NCAA finalist at 125 pounds last season and would certainly need a win over Penn State’s Braeden Davis next Friday to give Iowa a shot.

WrestleStat currently projects Penn State to beat Iowa 27-3 with Ayala as the only win for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa and Penn State squad off in State College Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.