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Penn State Wrestling: Preview of the 2023 U.S. Open Wrestling Championships

By Mike Scott

Penn State wrestlers pose for a photo with their national championship trophy in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.230318 Ncaa Final Wr 157 Jpg
Penn State wrestlers pose for a photo with their national championship trophy in the finals during the sixth session of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.230318 Ncaa Final Wr 157 Jpg /
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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 /

Next, we have 79 kg, where the Nittany Lions are represented by current wrestler and reigning 3-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci. Starocci is looking to continue the momentum from his 24-0 collegiate season.

As dominant as Starocci is in college, this won’t be an easy task. 79 kg is arguably the deepest weight class of the tournament. Almost every wrestler competing has an impressive resume.

Starocci came in third place last year at the world team trials after losing to Chance Marsteller. He will need to avenge that loss if he wants to win the US Open.

In college, Starocci hasn’t been tested much. It will be a nice treat for Penn State fans to see him in a more competitive match to see what he can do when his back is against the wall. Starocci has been focused all year and knows that despite winning the NCAA Championship again, he has even more goals to achieve. Additionally, there have been rumblings over the past month about Starocci taking an Olympic Redshirt year. My guess is we’ll know a lot more about that following the results of the US Open.

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