Philadelphia— Penn State wrestling legend Carter Starocci didn’t say exactly where he ranks himself on the all-time list but he did say who he feels the best ever is, and it’s none other than his college coach.
Cael Sanderson came to Penn State in 2009 having already established himself as an icon.
In college, he went 159-0.
After college, he won an Olympic Gold Medal.
Then, he got into coaching, and initially, the plan was for Sanderson to turn his alma mater, Iowa State, into a superpower. He likely would have done that had he not accepted the Penn State job. The rest is, well, you know.
Starocci further established himself as an all-time great en route to becoming the first wrestler to win five national titles— a feat highly unlikely to be equaled— and in the process, helped Sanderson and Penn State in their 12th team title in 14 years.
Who Else?: Penn State Wrestling Star Carter Starocci Named Most Outstanding Wrestler
Starocci has never been shy to talk himself up but for him, the choice for “greatest ever” is clear.
CARTER ON CAEL
After his title win, Starocci was asked— by me— where he saw himself in wrestling history.
Here’s what he said.
“Obviously as a competitor, when you toe the line, I believe I’m the baddest dude out there,” he said Saturday night when asked about his place among college wrestling’s all-time greats. “But in real terms, just coach Cael Sanderson, I think it’s one thing to go out there and do it, but I think it takes a whole other level of understanding and knowledge and things like that to get other people to do what you know how to do.”
Of course, Starocci knows all about Sanderson’s coaching.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“And he coached four-time NCAA champs (Starocci, Aaron Brooks) an Olympic champ (David Taylor). He’s coached everything that he’s done. When you are able to replicate that that’s something that’s going to live on forever, where something like five national titles, I feel something like that comes and goes. But he really marked this thing. I think he’s the greatest of all time.”
SIMILARITIES?
Nobody is Cael Sanderson, and although Starocci has come closer than most, he’s not Cael, either.
But the two have to have similarities for each to be so successful in wrestling, right?
For Sanderson, being so successful in wrestling requires something most people don’t have.
“Well, he’s a competitor,” Sanderson said. “I mean, there’s certain things where you hate to lose so much that you will do whatever it takes — diet, training, anything within the rules, of course.
“Most people don’t have that. He does. He’s a competitor. He puts the time in and he does what he thinks he needs to do to be ready mentally and physically. And then he goes out there and he competes hard every time. I mean, every time he competes he’s giving a great effort.”
In maybe the understatement of the century, Sanderson said Starocci winning No. 5 was “a heck of a feat.”
“That just takes a lot of mental toughness and focus,” he said, “and I’m super happy for him.”
Could Starocci follow in Sanderson’s footsteps, becoming a coach?
His high school coach, Mike Hahesy, told Nittany Sports Now recently that he sees Starocci thriving in coaching.
Regardless of how it plays out, both Starocci and his now-former head coach will be talked about forever.
