By Allen Smith
PSWC Membership Committee Co-Chair
PSWC Website Committee Member
Following is the third and final segment of a three-part series. As mentioned in Part 2, an explanation of the series appears in the first few paragraphs of “Part 1”, so I will not repeat that. There will be some final comments following however…
Writing this series was enjoyable, and I thank those that have commented thus far on one or both of the previous segments. While I tend to look to the future and the excitement of the unknown yet to come, it is also fulfilling to pause on occasion and breathe, taking in the success of the past. The past is something to learn from certainly. In this case I wanted to celebrate the success of Penn State wrestling when adversity was at its peak, but also it is a celebration of the bigger picture; as the foundation of the success of Penn State wrestling is built on the sweat, the sacrifice, the commitment, the determination, and yes the trials and tribulations of every wrestler that has stepped foot in the Penn State wrestling room, not just the starters. In fact, it is also about the army of people that directly and indirectly impact and support what may go down in history as the greatest dynasty in all of college sports EVER; the coaches that create the opportunity, the trainers, strength & conditioning coach, team counselor, operations manager, donors, and how could I forget you – the fans! I’m sure I missed some, but you get the picture.
I feel the need to make a final comment about “adversity”. It is my belief that every student at every university, trade school, or other post-high school education entity faces adversity from the moment they leave home and step foot on a campus. I know I did over 50 years ago. Academics, a social life without parental (or from other responsible adult) input, etc., and more are a recipe for adversity. Add the athletic life of a student-athlete (or frankly many others that choose to get involved in student organizations) and that adversity is compounded as the time commitment to those activities is often very high. My stories are focused on only those situations that are specific to Penn State wrestlers and their mat results, basically what is seen by fans, with the understanding that there is so much more beneath the surface. With that, I will say once again that I hope you enjoy this article and remember – WE ARE!!
ED RUTH TAKES 3rd AT THE NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The year was 2011, and most pundits thought Penn State was a year away from having the talent to win the national championship. We know now that Penn State did win their first championship in 58 years in 2011 over favored Cornell. There were several storylines that year, but one in particular is most defining for overcoming adversity. The 2011 National Wrestling Championships were held in Philadelphia. The Nittany Lions were at the beginnings of a meteoric rise in overall talent. One of those early talented wrestlers for Coach Sanderson was ED RUTH. Here is my recollection of the 2011 Ed Ruth story…
Ruth was in the third round of the championships and facing Stanford’s Nick Amuchastegui. During a first period exchange, Ruth took injury time for an upper body injury. At the time, he was leading 2-1. Resuming wrestling, Ruth seemed to bear no ill effect, though Amuchastegui did earn a takedown to lead 3-2 after one period of action. Ruth chose bottom for the second period. Amuchastegui was known as a solid rider, and ride Ruth he did, for an entire period, during which he had Ruth twisted up with lots of torque on Ruth’s lower body. Amuchastegui earned several near fall counts and was leading 9-2. Ruth could barely stand on his left leg upon trying to get up after the period ended and again took injury time. Unable to support his weight on his left leg, the bout was injury defaulted, Ruth taking the loss and dropping down to the consolation bracket.
We know that is not where this story ends. Ruth would return to the mat Friday evening to start his quest for All-American honors. The fans at this point had no idea if Ruth would even wrestle. Injuries are a part of wrestling, which is on par with football for its injury rates, and well above all other college sports. Wrestle he did and the Penn State faithful were on their feet when he took the mat, leg wrapped, in the fourth round of wrestlebacks. Win this bout and Ruth could finish no worse than 8th , and earn All American honors. It was not easy, as Ruth won 7-6 against an unseeded wrestler. Barely winning did not matter, Ruth was moving on, though he clearly was not himself. Next up, just what the doctor ordered – an early first period fall using his patented cradle, Ruth could now finish no worse than sixth. Looking back, the final two bouts were somewhat anticlimactic. With the benefit of hindsight, I can say Ruth learned quickly how to wrestle with an injured leg. Solid defense to protect the leg, and very selective attacks with a high chance of scoring was the tactic. The formula worked, Ruth winning his final two bouts 7-2 and 6-2, with the third place bout against a Cornell wrestler, a very important win for the team race, Penn State earning an additional point, while Cornell did not. Ruth finished in third place at his first NCAA Wrestling Championship. He would never lose again at the NCAA Championships, becoming Penn State’s first three-time national champ by the time he graduated in 2014!
CARTER STAROCCI WINS NOT ONE, BUT TWO NATIONAL TITLES AFTER INJURIES
One could say CARTER STAROCCI was snake bit, with misfortune impacting him in both 2022 and 2024. After winning the NCAA Championship in 2021, the injury-bug would strike the Erie, Pennsylvania native not once but twice in the next three years. While both 2022 and 2024 ended on a positive note, the journey to even wrestle at the NCAA Wrestling Championships those years was not easy for Starocci. Both injuries happened late in the regular season, making the final month and a half, and wrestling in the Big Ten and NCAA Wrestling Championships a big question mark for the talented Lion. Let us start with 2022. The date was January 28, exactly four years to the day when Jason Nolf suffered a serious knee injury at the Rutgers dual. For Starocci, the injury occurred during the Iowa dual while wrestling their star 174 pounder Micheal Kemerer. Diagnosis, we found out later was a broken hand. Five weeks until the Big Ten Wrestling Championships and almost seven until the national tournament. With Dan Monthley, Penn State trainer, and the coach’s guidance, the recovery was remarkable. Remarkable enough that Starocci returned for the final dual meet of the season on February 20 then followed that by wrestling and winning three bouts at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships. Those wins would be critical, as Starocci would enter the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships as the No. 1 seed, meaning only that the path would be slightly easier than what he would face in 2024, but certainly not without obstacles. With 12 more days to recover after Big Ten’s, no one was betting against Starocci, it just would not be easy for the Lion sophomore. Sporting a bandaged left hand, Starocci was ready to battle the best in the land at 174 pounds at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. The goal each round, as it is for all wrestlers was to simply advance, and with a previously broken hand Starocci needed nothing fancy. Advancing in the championship bracket allows a wrestler to wrestle one bout in each of the first four sessions, not wrestle in Saturday morning’s Session 5, and then wrestle in the finals Saturday night.
Losing and wrestlers get two wrestleback bouts in each session to advance. The plan worked to perfection. On Thursday morning (Session 1), Starocci managed a late pin to advance. Thursday evening saw a 10-4 decision against the No. 16 seed, a comfortable win. On Friday morning (Session 3), and Starocci advanced with a workmanlike 6-1 win against the No. 9 seed. The Lion was feeling good at this point, and Friday evening’s Session 4 bout was a surprisingly easy 10-4 win against the No. 4 seed. No. 2 seed Mehki Lewis (Virginia Tech) was waiting in the finals on Saturday night. It was a brawl, one that Starocci squeaked out 6-5 in extra time. Starocci had his second national championship! That bout is available on YouTube if you want to watch.
Comparatively, 2023 was easier, and Starocci won his third national championship. Then in 2024 Starocci would again face adversity. This injury would be worse than the 2022 injury. At the Edinboro dual on February 25, Senior Day for the Lions, Starocci won by technical fall in the first period. Near the end of the bout Starocci twisted awkwardly while his opponent had his leg. The Penn State Senior winced in pain on the mat. While he did continue and finished out the win, the damage was done. This time there was less than two weeks until the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, and less than four weeks until the NCAA Championships. During the downtime, Starocci did everything asked to rehabilitate his knee as much as possible. Coach Cael would say to the press that Starocci was “a quick healer” and a “tough kid”. He wasn’t wrong. At the Big Ten tournament, Starocci would forfeit both of his matches, but met the NCAA requirement for “participation” at the conference tournament, so based on his body-of-work for the entire season, onto the NCAA Wrestling Championships he went. Still, the two losses gave him a low finish in the conference tournament, and the NCAA criteria caused the 3-time champion to only be seeded 9 th at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. It was a blow, as it placed him on the same side of the bracket as two former national champions, Shane Griffith (seeded 4 th ) and Mehki Lewis (seeded 1 st ). Starocci would likely see Lewis in the quarterfinals, and if he won, Lewis in the semifinals, which is exactly what happened. We know Starocci won both, 4-0 and 2-0. In the finals, Starocci faced No. 6 seeded Rocco Welsh (Ohio State) and wrapped up a 4 th National Championship with a 2-0 win. It was an amazing accomplishment given the obstacles he faced. To back up a little, Starocci did EVERYTHING needed to advance at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championship. He knocked off the No.’s 1, 4, 6 and 8 seeds. Only one of his five wins was by more than four points, and three were two-point wins.
In two of the five bouts, Starocci only had one takedown, in two other bouts he had no takedowns, winning 2-0 in both the semifinals and finals. No bonus point wins, but then Starocci did exactly what was needed each round to advance and not aggravate an already ailing knee that was wrapped from thigh to calf.
And here we are, January 2025, and the final chapter for Starocci is still unfolding. The “free” COVID year, 2021, has given him a chance to make history and become the first and only five-time national wrestling champion in Division 1 history.
QUENTIN WRIGHT’S LONG JOURNEY TO WINNING A BIG TEN AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2011
There were moments of doubt, for sure. There were tough losses after his recovery when finally allowed to compete. There were low seeds at both the Big Ten and NCAA Wrestling Championships. For sure, the amount of season-long adversity faced by Lion QUENTIN WRIGHT during the 2011 season could have been overwhelming for most, but Wright’s faith, attitude and perseverance would be allies in his quest for a first national championship in 2011. To set the stage, Wright was unexpectedly thrust into the starting line-up in 2009 as a true freshman when an injury to a teammate ended the teammate’s season.
Wright finished sixth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships that year, a solid finish from the No. 11 seed. He took a redshirt the year following and entered the 2011 season with high expectations. Those expectations took a serious hit at the Nittany Lion Open on December 5, when he was taken to the mat on his left shoulder, screaming out after hitting the mat. No one knew the extent of the injury, but the bout was discontinued, Wright taking the injury default loss. The Daily Collegian would write, “While watching Frank Molinaro’s 149-pound championship bout on the left side of Rec Hall in the Nittany Lion Open on Sunday afternoon, Penn State coach Cael Sanderson heard a scream. Behind the coach’s back in the 184-pound championship, All-American Quentin Wright laid face up on mat No. 8, his left arm lying still to his side as trainers crowded around. ‘I heard it but didn’t see it, ’Sanderson said of Wright’s injury. ‘He just came down really hard on his shoulder.’ Holding a 2-0 lead over No. 14 Nathan Schiedel of Binghamton in the third period, Wright rose to his feet from the bottom. Schiedel held a firm grip on Wright, and returned the Nittany Lion to the mat, sending Wright down hard on his left shoulder.”
Wright would be seen with his arm immobilized shortly after, and as we know now, he was sidelined for six weeks during a rehabilitation period during which his return was unknown to Penn State fans until the day he was released to wrestle. It was an agonizing six weeks. Adversity behind him, or so Wright thought, his return did not go according to plan, as he clearly was not wrestling his best. More adversity, as even the strongest-minded of individuals would have doubts. First a successful return to the mat, winning bouts he should win against Pitt and Indiana opponents on January 21 and 23. That was followed by a loss, 3-8, to Grant Gambrell of Iowa. Wright would win his next two bouts easily against weak competition, but then came a three-bout losing streak in mid-February to end the regular season; to a less-talented Illinois opponent followed by a major decision loss to Minnesota’s Kevin Steinhaus and getting pinned by Wisconsin’s Travis Rutt. There was certainly no shame in losing to both Steinhaus and Rutt, but the way he lost, by major decision and pin, was uncharted territory for the talented Lion. It was mid-February and little time to work out any kinks. To give a good recollection, from Wright himself, the following was written by Kyle Klingman of Flowrestling after the fact; “I was miserable with how I was wrestling and I hated my wrestling self because I was trying to (wrestle like) Cael Sanderson,” Wright said. “I was having problems at home and school work is tough — and now I’m with one arm. I’m busted. I’m broken. All I could do is move forward.” Moving forward meant changing his perspective. He went from trying to emulate his coach to wrestling his own style. “I had a conversation with myself,” Wright said. “If I’m going to lose, I’m going to lose my way going forward. My philosophy changed. I have a blast double and I like to throw people, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Ending the regular season on a three-match losing streak didn’t set Wright up for the best path at the Big Ten Championships. With six losses total on the season, and four in the Big Ten, Wright was seeded eighth. Finishing eighth would end his season as it was outside the auto-qualifying level for Wright’s weight class (184). He started the Big Ten Wrestling Championships by defeating an unseeded opponent by major decision. It was a good start, but the real challenges were ahead. Wright’s next bout was against No. 1 seed Travis Rutt (Wisconsin), who pinned Wright two weeks prior. Wright won 4-3 which was every bit as close as the score indicated. At this point Wright could finish no worse than sixth, so he had earned his way to the NCAA Championships – but he wasn’t done. Next up was Tony Dallago (Illinois), who also handed Wright one of his earlier losses. It was avenged by a Wright win, 8-5. In the finals, Wright would get the No. 2 seed Kevin Steinhaus (Minnesota) a third consecutive bout against an opponent that had beaten Wright during the three-bout losing streak. This time Wright won, 4-3, finishing the tournament as the Big Ten champion at 184 pounds! One tournament conquered, one to go.
The NCAA Wrestling Committee seemed to discount the Big Ten Championship just won, and seeded Wright No. 9. Didn’t matter much, as Wright had his confidence back. First round saw a workmanlike 8-4 win against an unseeded wrestler. That was followed by another 8-4 win, this one against fellow Big Ten wrestler No. 8 seed Steinhaus, whom Wright was 1-1 against previously. In the quarterfinals Friday morning (Session 3), Wright would face No. 1 seed Chris Honeycutt (Edinboro) and win convincingly 7-3.
At Friday evening’s semifinals (Session 4), Wright would face No. 12 seed Grant Gambrell (Iowa), the only Big Ten wrestler that had beaten Wright during the regular season that Wright had not avenged. In the second period, Wright took Gambrell to his back, and finished the pin! One of my favorite Cael moments resulted – a photo of Cael, face near the mat, hand raised ready the slap the mat referee-style. It is a classic. Onto the finals, and one more step to finish out this remarkable season for Wright.
His opponent would be No. 2 seed Robert Hamlin (Lehigh). The Wright win was hard-fought 5-2. Tied 0-0 heading to the second period, Wright used an escape and two takedowns in the second to score all the points he needed for the win. The third period was spent mostly on their feet, neither wrestler able to mount any offense.
To put a national championship as a No. 9 seed into perspective, Wright is the 5th lowest seed to win an individual championship in the past 30 years!! Think about that; 30 years, 10 weight classes wrestled each year means 5th highest out of 300 (30 x 10) weight class champions. Amazing year!! Wright also became Coach Cael’s first champion at Penn State. Wright would go on to make the NCAA finals twice more, in 2012 and 2013, finishing second and first those years to become Penn State’s sixth four-time All-American.
