Big Ten

Carter Starocci Announces Return To Penn State For The 2024-25 Season

Carter Starocci Announces Return To Penn State For The 2024-25 Season

Four-time NCAA wrestling champion Carter Starocci has announced his plan to return to Penn State for the 2024-25 season.

May 2, 2024 by Jon Kozak
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Carter Starocci took to social media on Wednesday night and announced his plan to return to Penn State to wrestle his final year of eligibility in the 2024-25 season. As a four-time NCAA champion, Starocci will look to make history next season by becoming the first ever 5-time NCAA champion - an opportunity afforded him due to the extra year of eligibility granted during the 2020-21 season after the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the post from Starocci's X account below:

What Weight Will Carter Starocci Wrestle Next Season?

Now that we know Carter Starocci will return for the Nittany Lions next year, the question shifts to what weight he will wrestle. Starocci has wrestled 174 pounds for his entire career at Penn State but recently shared that he could wrestle as heavy as 197 pounds next season. The bump up in weight class might make the most sense for the team considering they have top recruits Alex Facundo and Josh Barr who could wrestle 174 and 184 pounds respectively, and have already used their redshirts. Penn State also has the #11 overall recruit in the class of 2024 Connor Mirasola, a projected 197-pounder, coming in next season. However, if Starocci wrestles 197, Mirasola could redshirt before he steps into the starting lineup in the 2025-26 season. Regardless of where Starocci wrestles, he'll be the favorite to win a national title and be a valuable asset to Penn State on their quest to win their fourth-straight NCAA Team Title.

Watch Starocci's interview before the Olympic Trials where he discusses his potential weight class for next season and more:

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