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Big Ten Wrestling: Ranking the top three wrestlers at each weight class

By Chris Snyder

Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, left, celebrates after scoring a decision against Oklahoma State's Daton Fix at 133 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 011 Jpg
Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, left, celebrates after scoring a decision against Oklahoma State's Daton Fix at 133 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 011 Jpg /
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Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci celebrates after defeating Virginia Tech wrestler Mekhi Lewis (not pictured) in the 174 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci celebrates after defeating Virginia Tech wrestler Mekhi Lewis (not pictured) in the 174 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

174

1. Carter Starocci (Penn State)
2. Ethan Smith (Ohio State)
3. Mikey Labriola (Nebraska)

While 165 in the Big Ten appears to be a mystery going into next year, 174 is essentially the “Carter Starocci Show” and then there’s everyone else. Starocci is the reigning back-to-back NCAA Champion at 174, and if his showing in the 2022 NCAA Championships proved one thing, it’s that he is further putting a stranglehold on the weight class.

Following his amazing performance against Michael Kemerer in Penn State’s regular season dual in Iowa City, Starocci missed roughly a month of time. And when he came back his injured left hand was heavily taped.

No biggie, as it was probably just a bad sprain or strain.

Carter then proceeded to blow through the rest of his regular season foes and went on to win his first Big Ten title. Starocci continued the onslaught of his opponents in the NCAA’s and it appeared he was 100% healthy after dispatching of Nebraska’s Mikey Labriola and NC State’s Hayden Hidlay in the quarterfinals and semi-finals respectively.

Virginia Tech’s Mekhi Lewis, and feel-good story of the 2022 NCAA Championships, was the last man standing in Carter’s way. But Penn State wrestlers do what they need to do when the bright lights shine down, and while it wasn’t pretty, Starocci’s TB-1 victory was still a win and he was once again king of the hill at 174.

Then shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 NCAA’s, Cael Sanderson indicated Carter Starocci wrestled the final portion of the season, not with a sprained wrist, but with a broken hand. Wow.

So, like I said previously, unless something absolutely horrible goes wrong, Starocci is the man to beat in the Big Ten.

And with the losses of both Iowa’s Michael Kemerer and Michigan’s Logan Massa, the group at 174 takes a slight hit but they are still pretty darn good.

Between Mikey Labriola and Ethan Smith, they have four All-American finishes between them. Smith bumped up to 174 last year after wrestling at 165 the prior two seasons, and I have a feeling he will have the slight edge over Labriola.

Between the likes of Michigan’s Matt Finesilver, Iowa’s Nelson Brands, Illinois’ Edmond Ruth, and Rutger’s Jackson Turley, it’s possible a name or two may surface in the top ten but I have no clue which guys to pick.

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