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NCAA Wrestling Championships: Penn State Wrestling’s paths to titles

By Chris Snyder

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 19: Nico Megaludis (L), Zain Retherford (C) and Morgan McIntosh of the Penn State Nittany Lions pose with the first place team trophy after the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 19, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 19: Nico Megaludis (L), Zain Retherford (C) and Morgan McIntosh of the Penn State Nittany Lions pose with the first place team trophy after the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 19, 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Penn State Wrestling
CamCoy (green) wrestles Carter Starocci ( Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports) /

174

No. 3 Carter Starocci

Carter has burst onto the collegiate wrestling world this season and he’s been rewarded with a No. 3 seed in the 174 bracket. The 7-2 loss to Iowa’s No. 1 seed Michael Kemerer in the B1G final two weeks ago is also a wakeup call that Starocci still has a ways to go.

Based on how his bracket looks, Starocci should be able to cruise through his first two matches where he then would take on No. 6 Andrew McNally of Kent State in the quarter finals. McNally is a seasoned collegiate wrestler as he’s compile a career record of 116-39. However this only includes a record of 1-2 in his lone NCAA appearance in 2019.

Carter is going to have his hands full with McNally but as Penn State fans have seen so far, Starocci is up for the challenge and I believe he will punch his ticket to the semi finals.

Utah Valley’s No. 2 Demetrius Romero would then be Starocci’s next foe. And if McNally wasn’t experienced enough to take down the Penn State youngster, then Romero certainly could. Demetrius started his collegiate wrestling career at Boise State back when Carter was only a freshman in high school (2016). Due to a redshirt season and an injury Romero is entering his 6th year and 4th year at Utah Valley.

To make matters potentially worse, Romero moved up to 174 this season as he previously was at 165. When grapplers move up it’s typically not due to a larger intake of onion rings or ice cream. It’s because they’ve added muscle mass which generally has the side effect of added weight and strength.

Carter will have to wrestle an almost perfect match is he’s going to beat Demetrius. While my heart says he can do it, my head says he loses a tight match and gets kicked down to the wrestlebacks.

I believe Starocci will then win one match and force a rematch against No. 4 Mickey Labriola of Nebraska. Once against Carter bests Labrioloa as he did in the B1G semi finals, and he claims his first ever podium spot in the NCAA’s in taking home 3rd place.

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