How Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci dealt with his injury at Big Ten Championships

Nate Cobler
·1 min read

The college wrestling world waited and wondered all week what an injured Carter Starocci would do at the Big Ten Championships — and it finally got an answer Saturday.

The Penn State wrestler and three-time national champ injury-defaulted in his opening 174-pound match against Minnesota’s Andrew Sparks.

Starocci initially took the mat and shook Sparks’ hand, the referee blew his whistle and — a second later — blew the whistle again. The injury default in the quarterfinals bout snapped Starocci’s 64-match win streak.

Starocci then ended his tournament Saturday night by injury-defaulting in a consolation match against Purdue’s Brody Baumann, officially making him 0-2 on the day. His performance still allows the Hodge Trophy candidate more time to rest up in preparation for the NCAA Championships in two weeks. If he wouldn’t have wrestled, or injury-defaulted, at all, he would not have been eligible for the NCAA Championships.

Penn State’s Carter Starocci injury-defaultes his bout against Purdue’s Brody Baumann at the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Starocci injury-defaulted the bout.
Penn State’s Carter Starocci injury-defaultes his bout against Purdue’s Brody Baumann at the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Starocci injury-defaulted the bout.

Also, Starocci won’t be eligible to be one of the top two seeds at nationals either. This is because he hasn’t wrestled 15 matches this season.

He will receive an at-large bid for the NCAAs, but his seed won’t be determined until Wednesday when the official brackets get released.

Starocci appeared to suffer a knee injury against Edinboro late last month. His leg tangled with his opponent’s when he attempted a pin, and he needed help getting off the mat. His availability has been in question since then.

Penn State’s Carter Starocci watches the mats as he prepares to go out for his consolation bout that he injury-defaulted at the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Penn State’s Carter Starocci watches the mats as he prepares to go out for his consolation bout that he injury-defaulted at the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Penn State’s Carter Starocci prepares to go out for his consolation bout that he injury-defaulted the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Starocci injury-defaulted the bout.
Penn State’s Carter Starocci prepares to go out for his consolation bout that he injury-defaulted the Big Ten Wresting Championships at the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Starocci injury-defaulted the bout.