BREAKING: Carter Starocci set to return to Penn State wrestling for 2024-25 season

Carter Starocci will return to Happy Valley for a sixth and final season, the Penn State wrestling star announced on Wednesday night. Starocci is the second Nittany Lion senior to return for 2025, with Beau Bartlett’s decision going public in early April. A critical piece for Cael Sanderson as Penn State looks to win its 12th National Championship in 14 years, the Erie native will attempt to stand alone as the only wrestler to ever win five individual NCAA titles.

Carter Starocci announces return for 2024-25 season

Penn State wrestling will get its first four-time National Champion back for an unprecedented sixth season. Carter Starocci announced his decision to return to the Nittany Lions for 2024-25 on Wednesday night via his X (Twitter) account.

“As everyone knows, this year was difficult as I had to deal with many things both on and off the mat,” Starocci wrote. “Even though this season ended with me on top of the podium, I was not satisfied. 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 dominant fashion. With this in mind, I’m excited to announce that I will be returning to Penn State to bring another title to State College Pennsylvania.”

Build a legacy that won’t be touched EVER. Penn State, Stand Up. Onward and Upward

5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/UuI1eA1XbV

— Carter Starocci (@carterstarocci) May 2, 2024

After winning his fourth individual title in March, Starocci was tight-lipped on any potential decisions. However, the Penn State wrestling star provided more insight into his thought process during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April.

“[After Trials] I’ll probably have another meeting with Coach Cael [Sanderson], and we’ll talk some things out,” Starocci said. “So, like I said, in my last interview, I was 60-40 toward not coming back [after Nationals]. But now, thinking about it a little more, I’m 60-40 coming back…I haven’t thought too much into it because, like, I was getting ready for this [Trials]. And now this is still going on, and I have a bunch of my boys getting ready to go scrap. So when that’s all done and all the clouds are kind of gone, then I’ll kind of sit back and take more on that.”

While we don’t know the specifics of what was discussed between Carter Starocci and Cael Sanderson, we can imagine that Starocci’s ongoing leg injury was near the top of the list. Starocci wouldn’t comment on whether he needed surgery when speaking at the Olympic Team Trials, saying it is a decision between “me, my family, and the coaches.”

However, he wasn’t willing to close the door on whether the injury would factor into his decision to return.

“Yeah. I mean, we’ll see,” he said. “I don’t know; that’s a good question. I mean, I just don’t want to speak on it, just because I just don’t think it’s a matter of necessity. You know, like, you can [say], ‘Oh, I was hurt, this, this, and this.’ And I mean, everyone saw the brace.

“Just like, obviously, things are the way [they are]. But it’s either, again, you either make it happen or you don’t. So you know, so I’m like, guys all like, here’s the injury. Here’s what happened. Like, it doesn’t matter. So, yeah, I just got to do a better job and make sure I’m healthy.”

Penn State wrestling star chasing history

Carter Starocci already has one of the greatest careers in collegiate wrestling history. He and teammate Aaron Brooks are Penn State’s first four-time National Champions, joining a group of just seven wrestlers in NCAA history to achieve the feat.

But now, Starocci has a chance to stand on his own and be the first — and probably only — wrestler in NCAA history to win five individual titles, thanks to the extra COVID season.

Starocci has been a dominant force since arriving at Penn State for the 2019-20 season. As a redshirt freshman, he went 19-0 with a 63.16% bonus percentage. He then entered the starting lineup in 2021 and finished with a 14-2 record en route to his first National Championship. Starocci went a combined 46-0 in the 2022 and 2023 seasons to claim titles No. 2 and No. 3.

But this year brought its share of adversity. Of course, his injury brought an end to his 64-match winning streak after injury defaulting at the Big Ten Championships. With two losses on his record, Starocci was able to bounce back as the No. 9 seed at Nationals to win his fourth title.

More decisions to be made?

Overall Carter Starocci enters his final season with a 96-4 record and a 54.75% bonus percentage. After mentioning how he felt good adding weight to wrestle at 86 kg (189.5 lbs) for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, it’s possible Starocci may bump up in weight in 2025.

With Josh Barr dominating at 184 pounds during his redshirt season, it would make sense for Starocci to replace Aaron Brooks at 197 pounds, setting up Penn State wrestling for yet another dominant season.

Whichever weight the four-time champion decides, Starocci will enter the season as the national title and Hodge Trophy favorite. His return, along with Beau Bartlett at 141, now gives Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling a shot at breaking its own points record set during the 2024 NCAA Championships. The dynasty has turned into an absolute meat grinder for opponents, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

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