Penn State wrestling notebook: Carter Starocci has high expectations for team in postseason
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Big Ten Wrestling Championships
Penn State won its first team title since 2019 during the March 4-5 Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Read all of our coverage below.
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Penn State is headed into the postseason with the Big Ten championships on the ledger for the weekend.
The returning team national champion Nittany Lions weren’t able to win their conference title last season. Michigan won the championship on March 6, 2022, the 12th Big Ten championship of the school’s history, leaving a sour taste in the collective mouths of Penn State, the soon-to-be national champs.
With seeding for the nationals on the line, Carter Starocci (174) isn’t fazed by what’s to come. The junior is a two-time All-American, a two-time national champion and won an individual Big Ten championship for his weight class last year. His eyes are still on the ultimate goal to repeat in the nationals.
“I don’t think we’ve won a Big Ten team title in a couple of years, but I don’t think that’s something that we really focus on,” Starocci said. “I think we just focused on our effort and how much effort that we’re putting out there and obviously, we prepare for the national tournament. And that’s the big picture. You want to win every match and I feel confident that our team will come out as the Big Ten team champions.”
Coach Cael Sanderson is no stranger to Big Ten championships, having won six since joining the program in the 2009-2010 season. He has a number of returning wrestlers in Roman Bravo-Young (133), Starocci, Aaron Brooks (184) and Max Dean (197) that have all won individual titles suiting up for the postseason once again. Other starters like Gary Steen (125), Shayne Van Ness (149), Levi Haines (157) and Alex Facundo (165) are experiencing the Big Ten championships and possibly the nationals for the first time.
Sanderson knows what to expect and is preparing the freshmen to expect steep competition this weekend.
“I think it’s a challenge regardless of where you’re at to be focused if you’re a returning national champion,” Sanderson said. “We have a few of those. It’s a different kind of pressure you could put on yourself or if you’re a freshman. If you look at somebody else and the situation they’re in how it should be easier. But we always see our, our own situation as challenging maybe, but that’s just kind of how it is.”
From the Big Ten to WWE
Big Ten championships bring rivalry matchups. One such duel came in 2022 between Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet (285) and former Minnesota and current World Wrestling Entertainment star Gable Stevenson. Kerkvliet fell 8-3 against Stevenson in the national championship.
“I’m happy for him. I hope everything’s going well for him,” Kerkvliet said, cracking a smile. “So, I know he’s moved on. He’s doing pretty cool things.”
Kerkvliet will look to join Stevenson in the WWE after finishing his collegiate career. The junior Penn State heavyweight grew up watching the matches with his father — from Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels, to Stone Cold Steve Austin and others. He knew one day that he’d like to follow in their footsteps as a professional wrestler.
“I grew up I watched all the WWE (matches),” Kerkvliet said. “My dad had a box of tapes of all the WrestleManias. I just kind of grew up watching those and I thought those things were pretty cool. So, it was always something that was in my mind.”
Getting comfortable for the postseason
The Nittany Lions had balloons in front of their wrestling room Monday and a number of small activities to replicate the festive season. Penn State wrestlers took part in a dodgeball game, among other team-building exercises under the direction of Sanderson and the coaching staff.
Every day of wrestling for the Nittany Lions is a party-like atmosphere for Beau Bartlett (141). The junior has a constant, beaming smile on his face throughout the season, even going as far as smiling in the ring. Win, loss or draw, Bartlett is looking to have a good time on the mat. He felt at home Monday, enjoying the activities — beaming at every moment.
He felt comfortable that he was home — both physically and mentally.
“I just got home this a great place to be and I made the right choice,” Bartlett said. “I made the right choice coming here and there’s people when there’s great accolades, we’ve got great facilities, we’ve got hot tubs, cold tubs, wherever we have.
“I would say we have some of the best things of almost everything, but really it’s just the people. You take everything away you would go wrestle and I don’t know a bar and a one by one that, and as long as we have the same people here, it’s special. So, I love that.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 6:29 PM.
