UNIVERSITY PARK — The Penn State wrestling team has a chance to make history Thursday, March 21, through Saturday, March 23, at the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Two Nittany Lions in particular have a chance to breathe some rarified air.
Both 174-pounder Carter Starocci and 197-pounder Aaron Brooks have a chance to join just five other men in NCAA wrestling history as four-time champions. One of those five just happens to be based in the same Lorenzo Wrestling Complex as Starocci and Brooks.
Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson won four titles at Iowa State and did that without losing a match. So he, as much as anyone, knows what that pursuit looks and feels like.
“I think the key to any sustained success is just don’t change. I mean, you just don’t change what you’re doing. Don’t take things for granted. You know, you have to compete with gratitude and with enthusiasm, and you see that a lot in all aspects of life,” Sanderson said.
Starocci and Brooks have an opportunity to join their coach, Pat Smith of Oklahoma State, Kyle Dake of Cornell, Logan Stieber of Ohio State and Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell in wrestling history.
“I think it’s pretty cool. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Starocci said.
Brooks said there was a time when he thought about following in Sanderson’s footsteps as a four-time champion, but he doesn’t think about it much anymore.
“I think a long time ago, whenever I was first coming into the program. I was a lot younger. In my mindset, I was just like, ‘I want to do this. I want to do that. I want to be a four-timer.’ I think a lot of things in life we want because we see how someone else is when they have them,” Brooks said.
“The old me was like, ‘I love how people look at him and they respect him.’ But you can’t want things for that. My reflection has changed.”
That’s just one intriguing storyline for the two-time defending champion Nittany Lions.
In the 14 previous NCAA championships under Sanderson, the Nittany Lions have qualified 150 wrestlers for the NCAAs. That group has produced 98 All-Americans, 36 national champions and 11 team titles. No team champion was crowned in 2020, when the emerging COVID-19 pandemic forced the NCAA to cancel the championships.
Penn State qualified all 10 wrestlers — four seeded first and two more seeded second — for NCAA championships while blitzing the field at the Big Ten tournament, crowning five champions and placing nine wrestlers in the top three of their respective weights. Nittany Lion fans are hopeful for a similar performance at the NCAAs.
Levi Haines and Greg Kerkvliet will attempt to improve last year’s runner-up finishes. Some say Penn State has a chance to be the second team in tournament history to finish with 10 All-Americans, matching Minnesota’s solo feat in 2001. Others think the Nittany Lions could make a run at the all-time team scoring mark of 170 set by Iowa in 1997.
“I think it’s a lot of fun. You have the team component and then you have these individuals trying to reach goals that they’ve had from the time they first got into wrestling,” said Sanderson. “Anytime you have a chance to go out and get after something that’s been a dream of yours for a long time, that’s pretty darn exciting.”
Braeden Davis (125 pounds), Haines (157), Brooks (197) and Kerkvliet (285) are seeded No. 1. Beau Bartlett (141) and Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) are seeded second. Bernie Truax (184) is sixth, Tyler Kasak (149) seventh, Starocci (174) ninth and Aaron Nagao (133) 10th.
And while fans may spend a lot of time parsing seeds, Sanderson said he and his coaches don’t.
“I know that seeds don’t really mean a whole lot when it’s all said and done. You definitely earn that with your body of work,” said Sanderson. “It’s just a matter of going out there and being yourself and just competing the way you want to compete.”
One case in point is three-time champion Starocci being seeded ninth after injury defaulting twice at the Big Ten Championships to protect an injured knee. That decision led to speculation over a cryptic late-night post on social media from Starocci. But that’s all in the past, Starocci said.
“It was frustrating, but I think just looking back on it, I think it’s a blessing to have a coach that really cares about me, not just as a wrestler but as a person. He’s in a lose-lose situation. He puts me out there and then he’s kind of second-guessing himself. Or, the alternative is I’m pissed at him,” said Starocci.
“At the end of the day, he’s the boss man. I work for him, so whatever he decides I’m gonna roll with. He’s done everything that I ever want to do in this life, in wrestling, outside of wrestling. Almost every word that comes out of his mouth, maybe besides that day, I’m always on board with. I would do anything for Coach Cael.”
Holding Starocci out ultimately led to his being seeded ninth. But, again, Starocci said it doesn’t really matter.
“I don’t care what they seed me. Don’t even have me seeded,” said Starocci. “Just have me wrestle every single kid in the bracket one by one. I’ll take them all out inside of three days.”
INFO BOX
What: 2024 NCAA Div. 1 Wrestling Championships
When: Thursday, March 21, to Saturday, March 23
Where: T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
Time schedule (Eastern Time)
Thursday, March 21
- Session 1: Championship first round, noon (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Session 2: Championship second round and consolations, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN+)
Friday, March 22
- Session 3: Quarterfinals and consolations, noon (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Session 4: Semifinals and blood round, 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN+)
Saturday, March 23
- Session 5: Medal round, 11 a.m. (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Session 6: Championship finals, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN+)
