Carter Starocci drops a message as Rocco Welsh officially commits to Penn State Wrestling [Image Source : Getty]

Carter Starocci drops 5-word message as Rocco Welsh confirms commitment to Penn State Wrestling

Modified Mar 31, 2025 03:19 GMT

American wrestler Carter Starocci recently shared his thoughts about Rocco Welsh confirming his commitment to Penn State Wrestling. Welsh represented the team of Ohio State Buckeyes before joining the transfer portal after this year's NCAA Championships.

According to various media reports, Welsh will soon be representing the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 184 lbs. category, the same category that Starocci last represented his team in at the NCAA Championships 2025. Starocci reacted to the same by posting the following on his X timeline:

"Zack Ryder all day baby"

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This was a direct reference to fellow wrestler Zack Ryder, who was initially touted to replace Starocci in the 174 lbs category. However, with Welsh having competed in the same category in the 2024 NCAA Championships, where he lost to Starocci in the finals, many were wondering if Ryder would have to make way for Welsh.

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Carter Starocci made his debut in the 2021 season, where he won a gold medal at the NCAA Championships and a silver medal at the Big Ten Championships. Until 2024, Starocci was the undisputed champion in both tournaments until a knee injury forced him out of the Big Ten Championships.

However, he recovered in time to win the NCAA Championships. Starocci ended his collegiate wrestling career on a high by winning both the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Championships this year.

Carter Starocci opens up about his motivation behind wrestling

Carter Starocci shares his thoughts on his motivation [Image Source : Getty]

After winning the NCAA Championships for the fifth consecutive time, many are wondering what the future holds for Carter Starocci. The 24-year-old wrestler decided to answer the queries in a detailed Instagram post.

"It’s funny—people think the best part of reaching the top is the titles and the money. Finishing my college career stacking up every title possible, 9 Total National Championships? Yeah, that’s fun. Not gonna lie lol. But that’s not what drives me," he wrote.

Starocci further talked about what drives him in wrestling. He added,

"What really gets me up early every morning and keeps me up late every night? The hunt. That’s everything to me. The battle within myself – how far am I willing to go? It reveals who you are and what you stand for. Way bigger than any sport or accolade. That’s the feeling I love."

According to reports, Carter Starocci might join Penn State Wrestling as a coach. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding the situation.

About the author

Animesh Pandey is a seasoned content writer at Sportskeeda with over eight years of experience, having previously worked as an intern for Follow Your Sport before joining SK as a columnist in 2017. A graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing, he also worked at TFI Media Private Limited and contributed as an intern for the movie website Nettv4u.

He has extensively covered events from World Championships to the Olympics, providing insights and analyses that resonate with his audience. His belief in mastering the basics and delivering accurate, relevant, and ethical information through thorough research is reflected in his work.

He was notably invited to the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan after winning a MyGov quiz on Indian Sports, where he engaged with celebrated athletes such as Rahi Sarnobat, Hima Das, Jinson Johnson, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, and Subedar Neeraj Chopra, who also happens to be his favorite Olympian.

Despite being a field hockey enthusiast, Animesh's most cherished Olympic moments include Wayde Van Niekerk's unexpected world record in the 400 meters at Rio and Chopra's historic gold medal in Tokyo.

When not immersed in writing or watching the Olympics, Animesh indulges in his love for movies, embracing quality cinema regardless of the language.

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