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Penn State Wrestling: Creating the Dream Team

By Chris Snyder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Penn State’s Carter Starocci celebrates after his match at 174 pounds in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.220319 Ncaa Session 6 Wr 060 Jpg
Penn State’s Carter Starocci celebrates after his match at 174 pounds in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.220319 Ncaa Session 6 Wr 060 Jpg /

174

Carter Starocci

Years: 2021-present
Record: 37-2
Conf. Titles: 1
NCAA Titles: 2

Okay, before everyone gets mad at me, hear me out.

Was Mark Hall an unbelievably talented wrestler who rose to incredible heights while at Penn State?

Yes, he most certainly did.

And if I were writing this article prior to the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, then Hall being slotted in at 174 would be a no-brainer.

However, I am writing this following the conclusion of the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships where Penn State was crowned king of the college wrestling world again and Carter Starocci took home his second consecutive NCAA title … with a broken hand.

As the Penn State fans have seen so far, Starocci is a special talent and he continues to get better match after match, month after month, and year after year.

So, what does everything think his career numbers will look like when he finally hangs up his headgear at Penn State?

And yes, I do understand there are no guarantees in life and the future isn’t a given. But I truly think the sky is the limit for Carter. Especially considered he wrestled the latter third of the season with a broken hand and won a Big Ten title and NCAA title.

And if you’re pointing a super soaker at my head and asking me who I would start at 174 based on all of the past Penn State grapplers, my answer would never waiver.

Not based on what I’ve seen so far. It’s Carter Starocci today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Honorable Mention (in order)

Mark Hall

Years: 2017-2020
Record: 116-6
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 1

Matt Brown

Years: 2012-2015
Record: 118-16
Conf. Titles: 1
NCAA Titles: 1

Dan Mayo

Years: 1984-1988
Record: 110-14-3
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 0 (2nd)

Glenn Pritzlaff

Years: 1995-1999
Record: 106-29
Conf. Titles: 1
NCAA Titles: 1

Jerry White

Years: 1974-1977
Record: 70-13-1
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 0 (3rd)

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