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Will Carter Starocci and Greg Kerkvliet return to Penn State wrestling in 2024? They have their initial answer

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•03/25/24•

GregPickel

Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci. (Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports)
Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci. (Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports)

Carter Starocci is now a four-time NCAA champion at 174 pounds, while heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet won his first collegiate title on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., as Penn State crowned a total of four individual champions and set a new team scoring record to win that title for the third consecutive season. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s made clear after the celebration ended that his program would get back to work on Monday. After all, there are the Olympic Trials to prepare for and also the 2024-2025 season. Starocci and Kerkvliet both plan to participate in the former, which will be held April 19-20 at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College. Whether either competes in blue and white during the latter, however, remains to be seen.

Both were asked by reporters on Saturday night if they had a plan yet for their last year of eligibility. If Starocci returns, he could become the first and presumably only five-time NCAA Champion ever. Kerkvliet, then, can continue to reign over the heavyweight division in a way guys like Minnesota’s Gable Steveson and Michigan’s Mason Parris did before the Nittany Lion finally ascended to the top spot this season. College wrestling is a grind, though, mixing classes with dual meets and irregular training hours and frequent weight cuts. The International freestyle scene is not quite as burdensome in that regard. Are both ready to start that part of their careers solely? Neither was ready to say for sure moments after standing on the highest podium block.

More: Did the Penn State wrestling dynasty just produce the greatest college wrestling team ever?

“We’ll see,” Kerkvliet said. “We’ll see.”

Starocci had a lengthier response that was ultimately no more of a commitment one way or the other than Kerkvliet’s answer.

“I don’t even know,” Starocci said. “I haven’t crossed — I haven’t crossed today’s road yet. Like I said, it’s been a long journey. I love wrestling. I don’t love school. Maybe do eanie meanie miney moe and see where that lands. Like I said, I am not even thinking about it right now.”

If we had to assign percentages, we’d say Kerkvliet is more likely to come back than Starocci. But, the pull of making history may be too strong to keep him away. What the recovery timeline looks like for his injured right knee could play a role, too. All told, both will decide soon enough. But, each is ready to focus on the Olympics for now and next year when the time comes.

“I’ve had some doctors ask me, hey, what are your goals and things like that,” Starocci said. “I’ve obviously told them I want to win Nationals, win and Olympics. They said, what’s most important. I said the Olympics.

“There was some discussion about not wrestling in this tournament, things like that. But, again, me as a competitor, it doesn’t sit right with me watching my guys go to war and I’m just cooped up and just watching. That’s not who I am. And the plan is 74 kilograms in State College, April 19th and April 20th.”

Added Kerkvliet:

“The Olympic Trials is coming up soon. Throw my hat in there. See what happens.”

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