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The Penn State wrestling team produced ample thrill through nerve-wracking moments at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Sunday. The day, which most people set aside for relaxation, was brimming with vigor as these wrestlers took the stage for the first time in the 2023-2024 season. Those fans who took the trouble to visit the Freedom High School were compensated well with electrifying performances. Now, the excitement stemming from the Nittany Lions is set to rise even higher as one wrestling beast is getting ready to roar once more.

Carter Starocci is a senior at Penn State and ranks no. 1 at 174 with a 3-0 record. Ten of his fellow teammates out of the 20-member pride hold similar unbeaten records. Now, this Olympic hopeful stands on the precipice of history and is ready to leap into the unknown. Will he experience a safe landing?

Carter Starocci vying for history-making feat

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Carter Starocci is ready to return to his Nittany Lions team to secure the first-ever four-time NCAA champion. This will be his ?fourth and final year? with the Penn State Wrestling team. In a video on the college?s athletic website, the 22-year-old wrestler said, ?This is a monumental moment for me myself, Penn State and my family…I have my whole family watching me, supporting me, and that means a lot. So I’ll make sure I take care of business and at the end of the year get that fourth natty daddy and the Olympic title?. Penn State Wrestling took this opportunity to recap his former wins and highlight the team?s overall glory. They wrote an update on their official Twitter page that said, ?RECAP // No. 1 Penn State Rolls at Journeymen Collegiate Classic! // 11 of 20 Nittany Lions go unbeaten //?.

Carter Starocci clinched his third NCAA 174 kg title in March in a remarkable manner. It marked his second season of going undefeated and his consecutive 52nd win. This is still America?s longest winning streak in the sport and speaks volumes of this young wrestler?s talent. Carter Starocci is tied with five other Lions as the three-time NCAA champ and wants to appear in a spotlight of his own. Therefore, he pushed back on the offers of a lucrative MMA career and stuck with the team.

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Carter Starocci finds support in the team

During the Journeymen wrestling collegiate classic, Starocci pinned down Harvard University?s Luke Rada and extenuated the team?s glory. This was a moment of great celebration for the team as Carter Starocci was on the brink of leaving FSU earlier this year. After the NCAA Championships, Carter Starocci was weighing his options very carefully. Ultimately, his loyalty to the Nittany Lions won out over better financial prospects. He said, ?I know we talk about having fun all the time, it may sound like they’re having fun or whatever, but I love those guys with all my heart, and they’ve helped make me the man I am. And I’m just grateful to be in that community?. But there is one more strategic reason for lingering with the team, which will surely bear fruit in the days to come.

Read More: 3x NCAA Champion Penn State Wrestling Star Drops Bombshell Ahead of Upcoming Season

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In March, the wrestling legend had also bared his heartfelt wish for the upcoming season. He said, “But it’s not something that excites me. I kind of want to be a four-timer, and how the Olympics fall, that will be next year, my senior year. If I come back and wrestle next year, we’ll see. I plan on winning the Olympics. That’s where my head is”. Now, he is the strongest contender for the gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and if he succeeds, it will be a perfect way to cap his incredible season.

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