"I'm the kind of guy you gotta kill" - Carter Starocci makes feelings known on being every NCAA wrestler's biggest match

Penn State's Carter Starocci is undeterred by the rising number of wrestlers calling him out for bouts. The four-time NCAA champion is in his fifth and final year with the Nittany Lions, leading them to a dominant win against Iowa Hawkeyes last week.

Penn State handed a crushing 30-8 loss to Hawkeyes on Friday, January 31, with Starocci downing freshman Angelo Ferrari 3-1. He was initially slated to face Gabe Arnold, who called him out last week and said “Your head is mine" before being replaced by Ferrari.

Angelo is the brother of AJ Ferrari, who shares a long history of trash-talking with Starocci and has called out the defending champion for a fight. But the national champion isn't afraid and following Penn State's win over Iowa, he told Big Ten Wrestling in an interview:

"I mean whatever happens out there, I'm the kind of guy you gotta kill and If you don't kill me, then next time I'm gonna keep coming after you over and over again. So for me, even if something does happen, I'll catch you again."

The 23-year-old also weighed in on their dominating victory over the Hawkeyes and suggested that it was 'just another' practice match for them.

"It's just another practice for us, another opportunity for us to get better and just kind of improve our skills for the next morning. Even national tournaments, that's practice for the world championships and world championships are practice for the Olympics. So if you have a perspective like that, you always have the upper advantage," Carter Starocci added

The two-time Big Ten champion aimed to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics last year but failed to advance from the second round of the Olympic Trials. He later announced his decision to return to Penn State for the fifth season and will be in action against Michigan Wolverines on February 7.

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"Whole different ballgame" - Carter Starocci on training with NCAA and Olympic Champions at Penn State

Carter Starocci during the Penn State v Rutgers - Source: Getty

When Carter Starocci announced his decision to return to Penn State for the fifth year, he made it clear he wanted to win the fifth national title, a first in NCAA history. To achieve this historic feat, the 23-year-old is training with the best of the best, including 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Snyder and four-time NCAA Champion Aaron Brooks.

Starocci also wrestles with reigning NCAA champion Levi Haines and feels he wouldn't get better partners anywhere.

“You can’t go anywhere in the world and get a better practice partner,” Carter Starocci said. "Wrestling guys like that, when you’re wrestling (outside opponents) it’s a whole different ballgame. I’ve almost gotta be smart in the room because these guys are just so good. And that’s what it’s about and that’s what I love,” he said (via Flo Wrestling).

However, irrespective of whether Starocci wins the record fifth national title or not, he would finish as one of the greatest college wrestlers. The 23-year-old is 17-0 in the 2025 season so far.