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Four-time national champion Carter Starocci announced on X late Wednesday night he was returning to the Penn State wrestling team for the 2024-25 season.
Starocci will be seeking the first five-time national championship in NCAA Division I wrestling history. His first title came during the COVID-19 season, where the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all college athletes.
"Even though this season ended with me on top of the podium, I was not satisfied," Starocci said. "I'm here to take over. With one year of eligibility left, I want to end my collegiate career on my terms – healthy, in style, and in a dominant fashion."
In late February, in the Lions' last dual minute of the season against Edinboro, Starocci needed help off the mat after appearing to seriously injure his knee. He medically defaulted out of the Big Ten Championships, but wrestled with a large brace in the NCAA Championships. He was visibly not 100 percent, but was still healthy enough to win the 174-pound bracket.
Starocci became one of just seven college wrestlers to ever win four NCAA Championships this season along with teammate Aaron Brooks. Oklahoma State's Pat Smith, Iowa State's and current PSU coach Cael Sanderson, Cornell's Kyle Dake and Yianni Diakomihalis, and Ohio State's Logan Stieber are the others.
It's now a question where Starocci will fit in the PSU lineup next season. There have been rumors that he will wrestle higher in the lineup at either 184 or 197 pounds. Mitchell Mesenbrink is set to return after finishing runner-up at 165 pounds, and Alex Facundo may bump up to 174 after using an Olympic redshirt last season.
-- Andy Stine