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American wrestler Carter Starocci has claimed another major collegiate honor after his historic 2024-2025 season with Penn State University. He completed his collegiate career in April earlier this year after he won his fifth NCAA Championship, becoming the only wrestler to ever do so. He is continuing to train with the Nittany Lions wrestling club despite reaching the end of his collegiate career.
Starocci is regarded as one of the rising wrestling stars in the nation. He wrestled at Cathedral Prep High School before joining up with the Nittany Lions, where he recorded a remarkable record of 172-0 and became a four-year captain. He gained recognition when he claimed his first NCAA championship at 174 pounds during his freshman year, defeating Michael Kemerer of Iowa in the finals. He ended the 24/25 season with a record of 26-0.
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Carter Starocci has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, a prestigious award given annually to the best male collegiate athlete in the Big Ten.
Named after legendary track star Jesse Owens, Starocci became the fourth Penn State athlete to win the award, alongside David Taylor, who won it in 2014, and Bo Nickal, who earned it in 2019. He was also named the 2025 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and was the 2025 Big Ten Champion at 184 pounds, ending his collegiate career in impressive fashion.
Carter Starocci, after winning five national titles: "Not what drives me"
Carter Starocci penned a heartfelt note on social media after he defeated Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen at 184 pounds to win his fifth NCAA Championship. In a post on Instagram, he wrote:
"It’s funny – people think the best part of reaching the top is the titles and the money. Finishing my college career stacking up every title possible, 9 Total National Championships? Yeah, that’s fun. Not gonna lie lol. But that’s not what drives me.
"What really gets me up early every morning and keeps me up late every night? The hunt. That’s everything to me. The battle within myself – how far am I willing to go? It reveals who you are and what you stand for. Way bigger than any sport or accolade."
Starocci also added that his journey was not about the trophies, but about the process he went through to achieve success.
