Starocci Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, Sanderson Coach of the Year

Penn State’s Carter Starocci was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Cael Sanderson was selected Coach of the Year after the Nittany Lions finished off their third consecutive conference tournament championship Sunday in Evanston, Illinois.

Starocci, one of five Nittany Lions to capture individual conference crowns, is now 21-0 on the season after defeating Max McEnelly of Minnesota in sudden victory to claim the 184 pound championship, his third career Big Ten title. He is now 21-0 on the year and has won 25 consecutive bouts —a streak that could have been 92 if not for two injury defaults in last year’s Big Ten tourney.

The 13th Nittany Lion to be named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, Starocci will be seeking an unprecedented fifth national title at the NCAA Championships later this month in Philadelphia.

Sanderson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the eighth time after leading Penn State to its ninth overall Big Ten tournament championship, all under his tenure to tie Cliff Keen for second most in conference history. The team’s 181.5 points is a new program record, eclipsing last year’s total of 170.5, and the five individual champions ties the 2024 and 2011 squads for Penn State’s most ever.

Every Nittany Lion wrestler placed and all but one finished in the top four at this year’s Big Ten Championships, as all 10 qualified for the NCAA tournament.

The Nittany Lions completed the dual meet season in February undefeated and with the Big Ten regular season championship for the fifth consecutive year. Penn State has won 70 consecutive dual meets dating back to January 2020, a Big Ten record and six shy of Oklahoma State’s all-time mark.

Penn State will return to action March 20-22 at the NCAA Championships, where the Nittany Lions will look to claim their 13th national title and 12th since 2011.