Carter Starocci will chase history at 184 pounds; why was it the right spot for him, Penn State wrestling?
Penn State wrestling super star Carter Starocci told reporters on Monday that becoming the first five-time NCAA champion is not the biggest motivator for him as he embarks on his final college wrestling season. And yet, it will be the most talked about goal of the sport for months to come. The four-time champion at 174 pounds will spend his final chapter in a new weight class. After an offseason filled with no doubt that he would bump up but questions about where he’d end up, the final answer is now in. The Erie, Pa., native will be in the Lions’ lineup at 184 pounds. Why was that, and not 197 pounds, the right spot for him?
“I just feel it was my natural weight,” Staorcci said. “I talked to the coaches. They wanted me to go at 184 last year, but I can be stubborn at times. For me, if they tell me to do something, I kind of want to do the opposite. I don’t want to be until 3 in the morning cutting weight anymore. It kind of made sense for our lineup.”
Penn State did not need to push Starocci to move up a year ago because it filled the 184-pound spot in its lineup, which was vacated by multi-time NCAA champ Aaron Brooks, who jumped up to 197 in 2023-2024, with transfer Bernie Truax. This year, the Lions had a need at both 184 and 197, meaning Starocci’s desire to quit cutting weight aligned with the team’s needs. A competition is ongoing for the starting spot at the latter weight between sophomore Lucas Cochran and redshirt freshman Joshua Barr.
More: Takeaways from Penn State wrestling media day
Starocci is No. 1 at 184 pounds in most media preseason rankings. His main challenger is defending NCAA champ Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa. The two meet Saturday in the NWCA All-Star Classic. FLO is streaming it on its subscription service at 7 p.m. ET from Rec Hall. From there, the Penn State standout will likely be out of the lineup on Sunday when the Lions open their dual meet season against Drexel (1 p.m. ET, B1G+). Starocci sounds confident, as he should, as his final season approaches. And, he knows what’s fueling him before it begins. And, it’s not what most might think.
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“For me, there was never really any pressure,” Starocci said. “For me, I really couldn’t care less about five NCAA titles, four NCAA titles. I just truly love going out there and smashing somebody. That’s part of the reason I chose to do the all-star match. I don’t have to do the all-star match, but I just love wrestling. That’s honestly why I chose to come back. I love the competition. I love the fight.
“I’ve got practice in a little bit, and that’s the kind of stuff I look forward to. Even with this all-star match, I’m wrestling a guy [Keckeisen) that was pretty dominant last year. I’m excited to show I’m the dominant one.”
