"He's the toughest guy I've ever seen in college wrestling"- Carter Starocci receives praise from Shane Sparks after victory at Big Ten Championships

Carter Starocci received accolades from across the world for his performance at the recently held Big Ten Championships. The 24-year-old wrestler was also nominated as the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year following his victory.

Popular sports journalist Shane Sparks was all praises for Starocci after the tournament. In a conversation on BIG Today, he remarked,

"He just never doubts himself. He's always just composed, he's been here before [...] The last time he got beat was at the Big Ten [Championships] in March 2021 to Michael Cameron, who's now in the coaching staff of Minnesota."

Sparks also pointed out that if the injury phase of Starocci is kept aside, he has a near-perfect record in collegiate wrestling. He added further,

"So if you take away those two injury defaults, there are 90 straight matches, and in majority of those matches; bonus point victories. However, there have been half of those matches, where he's had to win in sudden victory. He's so gritty. In my opinion, he's the toughest guy I've ever seen in college wrestling."

Carter Starocci has not lost a single tournament at the Big Ten Championships ever since he settled for the silver medal in his debut outing at the 2021 Championships. He is now aiming for a fifth consecutive title at the NCAA Wrestling Championships before he leaves collegiate wrestling for good.

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Carter Starocci reacts as he receives major honor after winning the Big Ten Championships

Carter Starocci reacts after receiving major honor for winning Big Ten Championships [Image Source : Getty]

Carter Starocci had a fantastic outing at the Big Ten Championships 2025. Not only did he win the 184 lbs. category, but his team from Penn State also won the Big Ten Championships overall.

However, that wasn't all. Starocci won the 'Big Ten Wrestler of the Year' for his achievements at the current edition. The 24-year-old wrestler reacted to the same by posting on his Instagram account,

"2025 Big Ten Champion. Wrestler of the Year. Big Ten Team Champions."

Ahead of the upcoming NCAA Championships, Starocci shared a glimpse into his preparations. In a post-match interview with Flo Wrestling, the American wrestler commented,

"I seriously don't think about it a lot and even when I do think about it and I mean, it's there I mean I want to win five but that's where great athletes shine and so when you want that spotlight, you have the weight on yourself. For me, it's put more pressure on me because when you are out there, it's business and so, that's all for me."

Carter Starocci has a cent per cent record at the NCAA Championships. Ever since his debut in 2021, the 24-year-old wrestler hasn't lost a single edition of the tournament.