Philadelphia— Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci has another notch on his belt— most outstanding wrestler at this year’s NCAA Championships.
Starocci, who became the first in history to win five national titles, was voted by the NCAA as the best, something he’s used to being.
It all started in front of a crowd that was only 25% field.
With things just starting to get back to semi-normal from COVID-19 in March 2021, Starocci, then a redshirt freshman, averaged his Big Ten Tournament loss to Iowa’s Michael Kemerer with his first national title win.
The next season, Starocci— competing with a broken hand— beat Virginia Tech’s Mekhi Lewis for his second title.
The only semi-normal title win for Starocci came in 2023 when he pinned Nebraska’s Mikey Labriola to three peat. In 2024, Starocci had the title win that people might remember most.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Competing on a badly injured knee, Starocci beat two former national champs— Lewis in the quarters and Michigan’s Shane Griffith in the semis— before becoming the seventh wrestler to win four national titles by beating Ohio State’s Rocco Welsh in the finals.
Then, of course, he became the first to win five, beating Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen 4-3 and shaking hands with President Trump soon after.
For Starocci, being named Most Outstanding Wrestler was neat but what mattered most was Penn State’s team title.
Penn State, with a tournament record 177 points, took home its 12 national title in 14 season.
“I mean, it’s cool,” Starocci told Nittany Sports Now exclusively afterward, “but for me, it’s just our team winning. For me, that’s the thing you earn. That’s important for me.”
