Starocci Named 2025 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; July 10, 2025 – Nittany Lion wrestler Carter Starocci has been named the 2025 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year. Starocci was honored from a field that featured each of the 18 Big Ten members' Male Athletes of the Year.  USC’s JuJu Watkins was named Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year.

The Erie, Pa., native is the fourth Penn State male athlete to claim the Big Ten Athlete of the Year honor, three of whom have been wrestlers. Luis Vargas, men’s gymnastics, was the first to win the honor in 2005. Wrestler David Taylor won in 2014, and wrestler Bo Nickal won in 2019.

Starocci capped off an historic collegiate career, becoming the first and only wrestler in NCAA Division I history to become a five-time NCAA National Champion. Starocci downed Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen in the national finals in Philadelphia to claim his fifth crown in as many trips to the event. Starocci ended the year as one of ten All-Americans for Penn State as the Nittany Lions won their 12th NCAA title under head coach Cael Sanderson, 13th in school history and fourth straight for the third time since Sanderson’s arrival in Happy Valley. Starocci ended the season with a 26-0 record with six pins, 10 technical falls and five majors.

He ended his career with a 104-4 career record with 20 falls, 25 techs and 21 majors, meaning 86 of his 104 wins were for bonus. Starocci was a Hodge Trophy finalist, the 2025 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler, the 2025 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, a 2025 Big Ten Champion and first team All-Big Ten honoree. Starocci leaves Penn State as a five-time NCAA champ, five-time All-American, three-time Big Ten Champion, three-time first team All-Big Ten selection, and the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Penn State went 15-0 and won the 2025 Big Ten Regular Season Championship, 2025 Big Ten Championship and 2025 NCAA Championship.

Starocci’s accolades are as follows:

• 2025 NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition
• 2025 Big Ten Champion (184)
• 2025 First Team All-Big Ten
• 2025 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year
• 2025 All-American (184)
• 2025 National Champion (184)
• 2025 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler
• 2025 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Winner
• 2025 Penn State Male Athlete of the Year
• Hodge Trophy Finalist
• 5X All-American
• 5X National Champion
• 3X Big Ten Champion
• 3X First Team All-Big Ten
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year

BIG TEN JESSE OWENS MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

1982 - Jim Spivey, Indiana, track and field/cross country

1983 - Ed Banach, Iowa, wrestling

1984 - Sunder Nix, Indiana, track and field

1985 - Barry Davis, Iowa, wrestling

1986 - Chuck Long, Iowa, football

1987 - Steve Alford, Indiana, basketball

1988 - Jim Abbott, Michigan, baseball

1989 - Glen Rice, Michigan, basketball

1990 - Anthony Thompson, Indiana, football

1991 - Mike Barrowman, Michigan, swimming

1992 - Desmond Howard, Michigan, football

1993 - John Roethlisberger, Minnesota, gymnastics

1994 - Glenn Robinson, Purdue, basketball

1995 - Tom Dolan, Michigan, swimming

1996 - Eddie George, Ohio State, football

1997 - Blaine Wilson, Ohio State, gymnastics

1998 - Charles Woodson, Michigan, football

1999 - Luke Donald, Northwestern, golf

2000 - Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, football

2001 - Ryan Miller, Michigan State, ice hockey

2002 - Jordan Leopold, Minnesota, ice hockey

2003 - Amer Delic, Illinois, tennis (co)

2003 - Matt Lackey, Illinois, wrestling (co)

2004 - Damion Hahn, Minnesota, wrestling

2005 - Luis Vargas, Penn State, gymnastics

2006 - Peter Vanderkaay, Michigan, swimming

2007 - Cole Konrad, Minnesota, wrestling

2008 - Brent Metcalf, Iowa, wrestling

2009 - Jake Herbert, Northwestern, wrestling

2010 - Evan Turner, Ohio State, basketball

2011 - David Boudia, Purdue, diving

2012 - Draymond Green, Michigan State, basketball

2013 - Derek Drouin, Indiana, track and field

2014 - David Taylor, Penn State, wrestling

2015 - Logan Stieber, Ohio State, wrestling

2016 - Denzel Valentine, Michigan State, basketball

2017 - Kyle Snyder, Ohio State, wrestling

2018 - Kyle Snyder, Ohio State, wrestling

2019 – Bo Nickal, Penn State, wrestling

2020 – Chase Young, Ohio State, football

2021 – Luke Garza, Iowa, basketball

2022 – Gable Steveson, Minnesota, wrestling

2023 – Zach Edey, Purdue, basketball

2024 – Zach Edey, Purdue, basketball

2025 – Carter Starocci, Penn State, wrestling

BIG TEN FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

1983 - Judi Brown, Michigan State, track and field

1984 - Lisa Ishikawa, Northwestern, softball

1985 - Cathy Branta, Wisconsin, cross country/track

1986 - Stephanie Herbst, Wisconsin, cross country/track

1987 - Jennifer Averill, Northwestern, field hockey/lacrosse

1988 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country

1989 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country

1990 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country

1991 - Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse, Michigan State, diving (co)

1991 - Joy Holmes, Purdue, basketball (co)

1992 - MaChelle Joseph, Purdue, basketball

1993 - Lara Hooiveld, Michigan, swimming

1994 - Kristy Gleason, Iowa, field hockey

1995 - Laura Davis, Ohio State, volleyball

1996 - Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State, fencing

1997 - Kathy Butler, Wisconsin, track and field (co)

1997 - Gretchen Hegener, Minnesota, swimming (co)

1998 - Sara Griffin, Michigan, softball

1999 - Stephanie White-McCarty, Purdue, basketball

2000 - Lauren Cacciamani, Penn State, volleyball

2001 - Katie Douglas, Purdue, basketball

2002 - Christie Welsh, Penn State, soccer

2003 - Perdita Felicien, Illinois, track and field

2004 - Kelly Mazzante, Penn State, basketball

2005 - Jennie Ritter, Michigan, softball

2006 - Tiffany Weimer, Penn State, soccer

2007 - Jessica Davenport, Ohio State, basketball

2008 - Hannah Nielsen, Northwestern, lacrosse

2009 - Maria Hernandez, Purdue, golf

2010 - Megan Hodge, Penn State, volleyball

2011 - Shannon Smith, Northwestern, lacrosse

2012 - Christina Manning, Ohio State, track and field

2013 - Amanda Kessel, Minnesota, ice hockey

2014 - Dani Bunch, Purdue, track and field

2015 - Taylor Cummings, Maryland, lacrosse

2016 - Rachel Banham, Minnesota, basketball

2017 - Lilly King, Indiana, swimming

2018 - Lilly King, Indiana, swimming

2019 – Megan Gustafson, Iowa, basketball

2020 – Dana Rettke, Wisconsin, volleyball

2021 – Sarah Bacon, Minnesota, swimming and diving

2022 – Dana Rettke, Wisconsin, volleyball

2023 – Caitlin Clark, Iowa, basketball

2024 – Caitlin Clark, Iowa, basketball

2025 – JuJu Watkins, USC, basketball