Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci hints at return from injury in viral post

It was a near-catastrophic end to another perfect year for Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci, who went down with a lower-body injury at the end of his tech fall victory in the Nittany Lions’ regular-season finale Sunday afternoon. Now, the wrestling world anxiously awaits to see if the top-ranked wrestler at 174 can compete this postseason and finish his quest to become the first Nittany Lion to win four consecutive National Championships. Those looking for a positive outcome got a glimpse of optimism Friday night, after a message from the Penn State star seemed to indicate he may be trending towards a return ahead of the Big Ten Championships.

Carter Starocci: “A true champion can adapt to anything” in first message since injury

It was a scary scene last Sunday in Rec Hall when Carter Starocci went down favoring his right leg at the end of his tech fall victory in Penn State’s 55-0 win over Edinboro. The three-time National Champion could not put pressure on his leg, and was assisted back to the locker room by Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling coaching staff.

After the dual, Sanderson was optimistic that the injury wouldn’t end his star’s season, and that Starocci would be able to compete this postseason. But even with his reputation as a “quick healer” and an extra week’s rest, the jury is still out on whether Starocci will be able to participate at next weekend’s Big Ten Championships.

But we know what Carter Starocci has his sights set on. In a social media post on Friday night, the Penn State wrestling star referenced staying head-strong through adversity, noting there’s only “one way out.”

“A true champion can adapt to anything,” Starocci wrote. “You can either run from your adversity or face it head-on and conquer it. There’s only one way in and one way out, and I’m going that way. This game teaches you a lot, and one thing I learned for sure is my mind is absolutely bulletproof.”

A true champion can adapt to anything. You can either run from your adversity or face it head on and conquer it. There’s only one way in and one way out and I’m going that way. This game teaches you a lot and one thing I learned for sure is my mind is absolutely bullet proof . pic.twitter.com/vZf5c4Swsd

— Carter Starocci (@carterstarocci) March 2, 2024

Star doing “better than we feared,” per Cael Sanderson

Technically, Carter Starocci doesn’t have to wrestle at next weekend’s Big Ten Championships to qualify for Nationals. If the Erie native takes the mat and medically forfeits in the quarterfinals and consolation bracket, he would still be eligible for the NCAAs. But if he misses the tournament entirely, then he cannot compete in Kansas City at the end of March.

Obviously, forfeiting would blemish Starocci’s perfect record and lower his seeding for Nationals. While not ideal, the strategy would keep his hopes for a fourth straight National Championship alive. But with a week to go until the conference tournament, there’s still hope that the 174-pound superstar can pull off a speedy recovery from injury.

“He has little extra time, and then another week between the Big Tens and the Nationals,” Cael Sanderson said on the Penn State Coaches Show this week. “So, he has some time to get healthy. But he’s doing pretty well. I’d say he’s doing better than we feared right away.

“Like I’ve said, we’re very optimistic. Carter is just a tough kid. He’s had adversity in every season. Injuries have been a big part of his career, unfortunately, even in high school… He’s dealt with some adversity in the past. So, if anybody can do it, he can.”

Penn State wrestling will look to take the crown in the Big Ten Championships in College Park, Maryland, starting on March 9.

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