Carter Starocci staying the hunter rather than the hunted for Penn State wrestling
Penn State’s Carter Starocci has the opportunity to do something that no one has ever done on the wrestling mat.
Should he decide to stay with the Nittany Lions for the remaining two years of eligibility after this season and win a NCAA title in each of these three years, he’ll become the first five-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion.
There is a six-time NCAA wrestling champion in Carlton Haselrig, but he won three titles at the Division I and Division II levels back in 1987-1989 for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. During that time, NCAA Division II and Division III champions earned bids into the Division I championships.
So, how does one stay focused on the goal at hand? For Starocci, it’s easy.
“After I won NCAAs my first year as a freshman, we get back to campus and Coach Cael called me into the office,” he explained. “We were talking and he was like, ‘Just remember, the first one you win is always the easiest one,’ that kind of always stuck with me just because now guys are breaking (me) down. Now, guys are hiring other guys to break (my) film down and things like that. It’s kind of funny when people ask me, ‘Now, you’re the hunted or something like that?’ You got it all backwards. I always hunt those guys.”
He’ll remain on the hunt on Monday and Tuesday as Penn State takes part in the Journeymen Collegiate Duals for the second straight season.
Starocci was asked if he has seen a difference in guys wrestling him since he won that first title. He said he hasn’t, but it doesn’t matter because if it doesn’t pertain to him or his teammates, it’s just outside noise.
Speaking of outside noise, the two-time champ said it can be difficult having so much success and being at Penn State. However, whenever he blocks all of that out, he’s unbeatable and that has been visible since suffering his first collegiate loss in January 2019.
“I think just staying away from the girls. I think that’s a big one just because, especially being at Penn State, I mean that can be a big distraction,” Starocci said. “If you cut those things out, which I’m already focused as is, but when I cut those things out, I feel a lot better and feel sharper. It’s the little things. It’s not like this big magic secret. I feel like everyone knows what they have to do to get better. It’s just doing that every single day and that creates the big picture.”
The big picture for Starocci is always winning a NCAA championship.
To some, the Erie native may come off cocky when they hear his press conferences. Again, this is just outside noise to him. He just goes about his business and continues to thrive. Basically, Starocci’s actions speak louder than his words to the tune of two NCAA titles, so far.
“I know some people think a certain way about me, but that’s not going to affect how I’m going to approach my lifts or my practices. I know what I want,” Starocci said. “I want to be a national champ, not just one time, but every single time. I want to be a world champ and an Olympic champ. I’m very clear on that, act on that, speak on that, and I perform like that. I just think it’s just being very clear on what I want, and going after and getting it.
“A lot of the times, Coach Cael tells us, trying is not enough. Everyone is trying to win a NCAA championship. It’s not who tries the hardest. It’s not, ‘Oh, I was sick on this day or I didn’t get any sleep last night. My mom was in the hospital.’ Nobody cares. Nobody cares about who Carter is today. It’s about who is Carter on the NCAA final day. On those days, it’s making sure you’re ready to go, and go dominate.”
No. 1 Penn State (4-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-1)
What: Journeymen Collegiate Duals
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.
Radio: WRSC (93.3 FM) or WQWK (103.7 FM)
Online: Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com; Video, Rokfin (paid subscription)
Twitter: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest
| Nittany Lions | vs. | Chippewas |
| 125: Gary Steen (4-4) | vs. | Sean Spidle (4-6) |
| 133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (3-0) | vs. | Vince Perez (5-5) |
| 141: No. 5 Beau Bartlett (8-0) | vs. | Ja’Kerion Merritt (2-7) |
| 149: No. 17 Shayne Van Ness (7-0) | vs. | No. 20 Johnny Lovett (5-3) |
| 157: No. 28 Terrell Barraclough (6-2) | vs. | No. 31 Corbyn Munson (10-4) |
| 165: No. 14 Alex Facundo (7-0) | vs. | Tracy Hubbard (6-5) |
| 174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (4-0) | vs. | Alex Cramer (9-4) |
| 184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (2-0) | vs. | Ben Cushman (8-6) |
| 197: No. 5 Max Dean (6-2) | vs. | Cameron Wood (5-7) |
| 285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (4-0) | vs. | Bryan Caves (10-5) |
No. 1 Penn State (4-0) vs. No. 21 North Carolina (1-3)
What: Journeymen Collegiate Duals
When: 9 p.m. Monday
Where: Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.
Radio: WRSC (93.3 FM) or WQWK (103.7 FM)
Online: Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com; Video, Rokfin (paid subscription)
Twitter: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest
| Nittany Lions | vs. | Tar Heels |
| 125: Gary Steen (4-4) | vs. | No. 33 Jack Wagner (6-3) |
| 133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (3-0) | vs. | No. 29 Joey Melendez (4-3) |
| 141: No. 5 Beau Bartlett (8-0) | vs. | No. 25 Lachlan McNeil (5-3) |
| 149: No. 17 Shayne Van Ness (7-0) | vs. | No. 14 Zach Sherman (0-0) OR Jayden Scott (4-3) OR Danny Nini (2-4) |
| 157: No. 28 Terrell Barraclough (6-2) | vs. | No. 6 Austin O’Connor (1-0) OR Sincere Bailey (8-4) |
| 165: No. 14 Alex Facundo (7-0) | vs. | Nicholas Fea (1-1) OR Joey Mazzara (5-2) |
| 174: No. 1 Carter Starocci (4-0) | vs. | No. 8 Clay Lautt (5-2) |
| 184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (2-0) | vs. | No. 17 Gavin Kane (5-3) |
| 197: No. 5 Max Dean (6-2) | vs. | No. 31 Max Shaw (6-2) |
| 285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (4-0) | vs. | Brandon Whitman (4-4) |
