Carter Starocci pens 3-word message to Penn State wrestling’s tribute online after Dan Hodge Trophy omission

Carter Starocci shared his reaction after Penn State paid tribute to the wrestler on their official page following his omission from the Dan Hodge Trophy. Starocci is the most accomplished wrestler in NCAA Division 1 history, winning his historic fifth individual national championship. The Dan Hodge Trophy is awarded to the best college wrestler in the nation.

Starocci joined Penn State University in 2019. In his redshirt season, he went unbeaten and posted an 18-0 overall record. After his recent championship win, Starocci missed out on the Dan Hodge Trophy for 2025, with the award going to Oklahoma State heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, who beat Olympic champion Gable Steveson in the finals.

Penn State paid tribute to Starocci on Instagram after his omission, captioning their post with:

"The first, the only 5X Division I National Champion! NCAA Wrestling History. CARTER. STAROCCI. #PSUwr," captioned Penn State University's official Instagram account.

Starocci gave his reaction to the post, commenting:

"All Day Work"

Still taken from Penn State Wrestling's Instagram (Source: @pennstatewrest/Instagram)

Starocci appeared to be undeterred by the omission, continuing to focus on his career as he looks to transition to freestyle wrestling.

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Carter Starocci makes his stance clear on competing for titles

Carter Starocci poses during the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championship - (Image via Getty)

Five-time NCAA Champion Carter Starocci shared his thoughts on the popular notions that come with wrestling, which include competing for titles and money. He wrote a lengthy post on Instagram, describing his mentality and what drives him to compete:

"That’s the feeling I love. Not the trophies. Not the stats. Not the glory. Just the process – because that’s where the beauty lives. One thing is for sure: when the bright lights come on, no one does it better than me."

Starocci then emphasized that he does appreciate the titles and the success that comes with wrestling, but what's most important to him was the work he put in to improve and become a better athlete.

Starocci also earned his 100th career victory by defeating Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen in the NCAA finals. In 2022 and 2023, he recorded undefeated seasons for Penn State, where he finished those years with NCAA titles over Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis and Nebraska's Mikey Labriola.

After the end of his collegiate career, Carter Starocci announced that he would be discussing his future with coach Cael Sanderson and assistant coach Casey Cunningham.