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    Carter Starocci and Josh Barr - Source: Imagn
    Carter Starocci and Josh Barr - Source: Imagn
    Carter Starocci and Josh Barr - Source: Imagn
    Carter Starocci and Josh Barr - Source: Imagn

    Ex-Nittany Lion Carter Starocci Hails Penn State Title Grind, Picks Best Wrestler Regardless of Weight

    Former Penn State Wrestler Carter Starocci weighed in on the program’s success at the National Championships following their victory in the latest edition. The Nittany Lions showed their unparalleled dominance at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

    They collected 181.5 points to dominate the rankings table, leaving Oklahoma State and Nebraska behind, who recorded 131 and 100.5 points, respectively. The victory marked their 13th overall and fifth consecutive NCAA Championship title.

    The Cael Sanderson-led wrestling squad entered the final with six wrestlers, with four clinching the titles in their respective categories. Starocci praised the program while highlighting the team’s determination and efforts. He said:

    “Penn State once again!! Congratulations. That team and staff work their tails off every day! Not many people can say that they give their absolute all in anything they do. Congrats to all the competitors showcasing their hard work, talents, skills, and upbringing!”
    Five-time consecutive NCAA Champion Starocci also penned praises for Penn State sophomore Josh Barr, dubbing him the best wrestler in all the categories.
    “Josh Barr is by far the pound-for-pound best wrestler in all of college wrestling,” Carter Starocci wrote on X.
    Barr lifted his first NCAA title at the 2026 edition after defeating Oklahoma State’s Cody Merrill 6-3.

    Penn State Coach Cael Sanderson Reveals The Reason For The Program’s Continuous Success At National Championships

    Penn State’s head coach, Cael Sanderson, has been coaching the program in 2009, when he became the 12th head wrestling coach. After leading the program to its 13th NCAA title, Coach Sanderson opened up about the reason for the program’s success, saying that along with the wrestlers, the staff also works hard.

    “We work every day. We love what we do. We love each other, our staff, you know. That’s what the kids in the program and the staff we work with, that’s what it’s all about. Seeing those guys every day is what motivates me and just continue to learn and grow. You know, we’re a blessed program. We follow the rules, right?” said Cael Sanderson.

    “There’s not a lot of that going on right now, and that’s one of the reasons, you know, we can sleep when the wind blows. That’s, you know, we train hard and do the right things, do the best of our ability, and things will work out,” he added

    Nittany Lions’ Luke Lilledahl, Mitchell Mesenbrink, Levi Haines, and Josh Barr dominated the 125, 165, 174, and 197 lbs categories, respectively.

    Read more:

    What Cael Sanderson said after 8 of 10 Penn State wrestlers advanced to NCAA Wrestling QFs after Day 1

    “We’re Gonna Miss Him” — Cael Sanderson Reflects on Levi Haines’ Final Weekend with Penn State Wrestling

    Cael Sanderson Links Jax Forrest’s Top Seed to Carter Starocci’s Past Seeding Controversy

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