Happy Valley, PA—Penn State’s final wrestling dual at Rec Hall seemed to be proceeding smoothly until a concerning moment cast a shadow over the otherwise celebratory atmosphere. As the Nittany Lions paid tribute to their seniors and dominated against Edinboro, a distressing injury to Carter Starocci marred the 55-0 victory.
Coach Cael Sanderson refrained from elaborating on the injury but acknowledged Starocci’s evident discomfort. “We always wish for our athletes’ well-being, but injuries are an unfortunate reality of sports,” Sanderson stated. “Right now, our thoughts are with Carter. He’s resilient, having battled through injuries in past tournaments.”
Starocci, recognized as one of the team’s seniors, was commanding the match against Joey Arnold at 174 pounds until an unfortunate twist of events led to his injury. Despite his remarkable performance, which included six takedowns and a technical fall victory in 2 minutes and 45 seconds, Starocci found himself immobilized on the mat, prompting a solemn silence to descend upon Rec Hall.
Sanderson, along with trainer Dan Monthly, assisted Starocci off the mat, recognizing his inability to bear weight on his injured right leg. Despite the setback, Sanderson remained hopeful, citing Starocci’s history of quick recoveries and determined spirit.
The remainder of the dual meet proceeded with a somber tone as spectators grappled with the gravity of Starocci’s injury. Despite this, fellow seniors Bernie Truax, Aaron Brooks, and Greg Kerkvliet delivered commendable performances to maintain Penn State’s momentum.
Truax and Brooks secured technical fall victories, while Kerkvliet sealed the victory with a swift pin against his opponent. The match marked Penn State’s third shutout victory of the season, tying their record for most dual points scored.
Sanderson praised the team’s overall performance while acknowledging the impact of adversity on the team’s resilience. “Edinboro deserves credit for their effort, but our team rose to the challenge,” he commented. “Adversity has a way of sharpening our focus and fortifying our resolve, even in the face of injury.”
No. 1 Penn State 55, Edinboro 0
Sunday at University Park
125: No. 8 Braeden Davis, PSU, tech. fall Caleb Edwards, 19-3 (4:02)
133: No. 11 Aaron Nagao, PSU, tech. fall Eamonn Jimenez, 18-3 (3:33)
141: No. 1 Beau Bartlett, PSU, pinned Jacob Brenneman, 4:11
149: No. 9 Tyler Kasak, PSU, pinned Colin Roberts, 3:20
157: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU, pinned Gannon Jaquay, 4:38
165: No. 6 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU, won by forfeit
174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, tech. fall Joey Arnold, 22-5 (2:45)
184: No. 6 Bernie Truax, PSU, tech. fall Brody Evans, 21-3 (5:00)
197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU, tech. fall Jack Kilner, 19-4 (4:55)
285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, pinned Nick Lodato, 1:27
Takedowns: E 0, PSU 39
Records: Edinboro 2-12, Penn State 12-0
Next match: Penn State at Big Ten Championships, College Park, MD, March 9-10
