Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci offers latest health update before NCAAs

Three-time NCAA champ and Penn State 174-pound senior Carter Starocci offered the latest update on his health Wednesday during a pre-championship news conference at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., ahead of the start of the national tournament Thursday afternoon.

“As far as my health goes, I’m ready to go,” Starocci told reporters inside the Center’s media room. “I’m 100 percent.”

The answer was not a surprise to anyone who has been following the Erie native over the last couple of weeks. He injured his right knee at the end of a technical fall victory over Joey Arnold of Edinboro in the team’s final dual meet of the season in late February. The Nittany Lions left for Big Tens two weekends ago with an air of uncertainty surrounding the plan for Starocci. He ultimately forfeited due to injury twice at the conference event. Despite showing a clear sign of frustration on social media about how things played out in College Park, Md., he has since accepted the decision head coach Cael Sanderson made for him. Now, he is ready to chase a fourth NCAA title, which would put him in exclusive company. Only five other wrestlers have ever won four individual college championships.

More: NCAA Wrestling Championships predictions: How many champs, All-Americans, will Penn State have?

“I was ready to go [at Big Tens],” Starocci said last week, per PennLive. “I’m like fully healthy. I can do everything right now. I think me being a competitor and just who I am and how I was brought up, I just want to take all those guys out and just keep sending messages … that’s fun for me.

“At the end of the day, a Big Ten title is cool. Like I said, and 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 as I’m doing it, I want to make sure I take everybody out and do it again and again. That’s what’s fun for me. I’m feeling good, this is the time of the year that we all live for and train for so this is the fun part.”

Starocci has long been the top-ranked wrestler at 174 pounds. But the combination of not wrestling in as many dual meets as he could have during the regular season and the Big Ten forfeits led to him being the No. 9 seed for this tournament. Unsurprisingly, it does not bother the Penn State star.

“As far as I seed, I mean, I think this is more fun this way,” Starocci said when asked what recommendation he could give the seed selection committee members in the future when weighing a resume like his.

“The committee, I mean, as far as that, to be honest, I really couldn’t care less. I’d rather wrestle everybody, honestly. I think they seeded it a little weird. But, again, it doesn’t really matter.”

Who will each Nittany Lion face first in Kansas City?

Here’s the breakdown. The tournament starts at Noon ET on Thursday. ESPNU will televise session one until 3:30 p.m. ET. Blue-White Illustrated will have continuing coverage.

125 pounds: No. 1 Braeden Davis, Penn State. vs. winner of No. 33 Tristan Lujuan, Michigan State vs. Mike Joyce, Brown

133 pounds: No. 10 Aaron Nagao, PSU vs. No. 23 Marlon Yarbrough, Virginia

141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, Penn State vs. No. 31 Kai Owen, Colorado

149 pounds: No. 7 Tyler Kasak, PSU vs. No. 26 Jaden Abas, Stanford

157 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU vs. winner of No. 33 Nick Stampoulous, Buffalo vs. No. 32 Isaax Wilcox, Ohio State

165 pounds: No. 2 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs. No. 31 Maxx Mayfield, Northwestern

174 pounds: No. 9 Carter Starocci, PSU vs. No. 24 Andrew Sparks, Minnesota

184 pounds: No. 6 Bernie Truax, Penn State vs. No. 27 Cameron Pine, Clarion

197 pounds: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU vs. winner of No. 33 Evan Bates, Northwestern vs. No. 32 John Crawford, Franklin & Marshall

285 pounds: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs. winner of No. 33 Jordan Greer, Ohio vs. No. 32 Nick Willham, Indiana

See full brackets here.