4-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci urges fans to have a sold out stadium as he returns to Penn State for a 5th year

Carter Starocci, after concluding his fourth NCAA season with Penn State University, has returned to competing for the fifth season. He wishes to witness a filled-up Beaver Stadium in a wrestling match in November 2024.

Starocci, the 4-time NCAA champion, has seven NCAA Championship appearances and three team titles. He has been a dominant force in the collegiate wrestling realm and also attempted the US Olympic trials this year in the 86kg category.

The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native has two Big Ten Conference champion titles added to his resume. Competing in 174 pounds, he is coached by Cael Sanderson, who will welcome Starocci under his tutelage again.

Hailing from the Penn State Nittany Lions, Starocci holds a special position for Beaver Stadium. It is the outdoor college football stadium and home to the Nittany Lions, which has hosted sporting events since 1960.

History was made when 110,889 people attended the match between 2018 Penn State Nittany Lions and Ohio State. 106,572 can fit in the stadium ideally, making Beaver Stadium the fourth largest in the world and a go-to for Pennsylvania college teams.

Starocci aspires to compete at the stadium and witness a fully occupied arena. He took to his social media handle and wrote:

"Now let’s sell out the beaver stadium in November"

If the PSU wrestling team competes at the stadium this November, it will be their debut in the school's legendary football ground. The 2020-21 season was plagued because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave college athletes an extra year of eligibility to return for the fifth season, including Carter Starocci.

Carter Starocci returns as a defending champion

Aiming to nab the fifth NCAA individual title, the first in college wrestling history, the 23-year-old resorted to his X handle to release the official news of his comeback and the reason behind his decision. After penning a heartfelt note, he switched to his confident self, sights set on taking over prominent wrestling names.

He wrote:

"I'm here to take over. With one year of eligibility left, I want to end my collegiate career on my terms. Healthy, in style, and in a dominant fashion. With this in mind, I'm excited to announce that I will be returning to Penn State to bring another national title to State College, Pennsylvania.”

He was injured at the Big Ten Championships 2024, which came through when he competed at the NCAA Championships this season with an injured knee. Starocci is now a part of the 2024-2025 NCAA season, officially.