Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci provides injury update before U.S. Olympic Team Trials

Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci has been one of the most talked about wrestlers heading into the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials this weekend in State College. The four-time NCAA Champion is still recovering from a leg injury he sustained in the last dual of the season against Edinboro in February. But with a shot at Paris and an Olympic Gold Medal on the line, the Nittany Lion standout says that spectators will see a “whole different wrestler” in the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday and Saturday as his recovery progresses.

Carter Starocci: I am like a whole different wrestler now after injury

It was a quick turnaround for Carter Starocci from the time he suffered his leg injury in the regular season finale versus Edinboro on February 25 to when he captured his fourth National Championship in mid-March. Forced to end his 64-match winning streak with a medical withdrawal at the Big Ten Championships and producing some drama along the way, the Penn State wrestling star still found his way to the top in the end.

But heading into the U.S. Olympic Team Trials this weekend, Carter Starocci says his health is in a much better place than it was a month ago in Kansas City. “I am like a whole different wrestler now,” he told FloWrestling on Thursday. “That whole build-up [to Nationals] was short timing, so we had to do what we had to do to get where I wanted to get to.”

When mentioned that his leg looks noticeably better and that the limp that was clearly visible at the NCAA Championships is gone, Carter Starocci couldn’t help but smile. “It is real smooth, just like how I am moving at practice right now,” he said. “It has gotten time to heal, and move, and [I have] no brace, which is good.”

Carter Starocci On Bump To 86kg, Potential Return Next Season To Penn State Lineup pic.twitter.com/rcJRidX9Kr

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) April 18, 2024

Penn State wrestling star moving up to 86 kg for Olympic Team Trials

Carter Starocci made it known all season that he had planned to wrestle at 74 kg at the Olympic Trials. However, the leg injury he sustained definitely played a role in his last minute decision to move up to 86 kg. The move wasn’t something that Starocci took lightly, however, as Penn State wrestling teammate Aaron Brooks is also competing at the same weight class.

“Me and Aaron have been talking about winning the Olympics together for four or five years now,” Starocci said. “He was the first guy I got a hold of when I figured I was going up, and he was understanding.”

Aaron Brooks earned the No. 1 seed at 86 kg, while Starocci is the No. 6 seed in the challenger bracket.

Despite stepping into uncharted territory, Starocci doesn’t seem too worried. “It doesn’t really matter how the bracket is, you are going to have to wrestle everybody,” he said. “This is not the time of the year that you want to be headhunting guys; it is one match at a time, and whoever is there is there.”

Outwardly, Starocci seems to be showing more humility heading into Olympic Team Trials compared to what we typically see from the Penn State wrestling star during the regular season. That makes sense, given the level of competition facing the Nittany Lion in the BJC this weekend.  After all, he would have to get through multiple national title winners, including teammate Aaron Brooks and Gold Medalist David Taylor, to reach Paris this summer. But for the first time in his career, the four-time NCAA Champion can finally take on the hunter role.

Make sure to follow along with Basic Blues Nation here and on our social media channels for live on-site coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

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