Starocci will return next year

[Winners Circle]

6 hours ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Is he getting more than Alirez?

Yes

[nhs67]

3 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

I would love to see him against PK.

PK is staying 184.  They have a 197lber for the next three years at UNI.

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

14 minutes ago, Winners Circle said:

Yes

I heard Alirez is getting $500k from Iowa.

[nhs67]

3 hours ago, Threadkilla said:

I don't think Levi will redshirt.  I think he will wrestle the next two years and Duke should be coming off redshirt to take over, they have so many options I don't think shirting a 2 time finalist is the answer.

The only person that Starocci mentioned in his interview pre-OTT was Haines.  In the same interview he said Cael had said something along the lines of 'Carter Starocci - 2025 NCAA Champion at 197?' and then he (Starocci) said that he has liked owning 174, but Levi wants to eat.

Levi to shirt and grow in to 174, then he forces Facundo out.

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

Just now, nhs67 said:

The only person that Starocci mentioned in his interview pre-OTT was Haines.  In the same interview he said Cael had said something along the lines of 'Carter Starocci - 2025 NCAA Champion at 197?' and then he (Starocci) said that he has liked owning 174, but Levi wants to eat.

Levi to shirt and grow in to 174, then he forces Facundo out.

Levi has the frame to go up to 174 for sure.  Facundo supposedly has improved but I still don't think he has enough offense to AA in college.

[nhs67]

4 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

would not be shocked if ryder beats out barr at 184, Levi red shirting also feels like it could be on the table.

I agree on Haines.

Ryder has been ~174lbs for a couple/few years now, hasn't he?  Had he intended to go 184 I imagine he would've spent the year growing in to it while not competing in HS.  Ryder will(should) redshirt, I think.

[nhs67]

Just now, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Levi has the frame to go up to 174 for sure.  Facundo supposedly has improved but I still don't think he has enough offense to AA in college.

I think Facundo will be better suited for 174lbs than he ever was for 165lbs.  He did also just dominate (by Facundo standards) Haines at OTT, so...

[Threadkilla]

47 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Levi has the frame to go up to 174 for sure.  Facundo supposedly has improved but I still don't think he has enough offense to AA in college.

 

Facundo is absolutely an AA threat and possibly a title threat.   If memory serves,  He was the #1 recruit in 2021.  He had a dismal post season in 2023, but he was right there with the best.   On any other team he would be a marqee guy.

Edited May 2 by Threadkilla

[pokemonster]

6 hours ago, 1032004 said:

Minnow claiming he’ll get $1.25 mil

What a ridiculous sum of money... 

[JimmyCinnabon]

4 hours ago, Elevator said:

I guess in this scenario Ryder and Kasak redshirt and Miro redshirts only if Kerk takes the NIL offer and returns?  Any idea how hard it is for Carter or Barr to make 174?   Is Facundo comfortable fattening up to 174.   PSU has some crazy depth except at 285.   Between Carter, Barr, and Ryder who is the best fit for 197 if Mirosola is redshirted?

 

I think Carter can make 174lbs just fine. I only think he is going 174lbs because Jeff Byers said he thinks that's where he goes if he comes back. I saw the interview with Byers yesterday. I think it makes sense for Carter to go 197lbs and make the jump like Brooks did. Carter is taller than Brooks. 

Haines could go 174lbs to be honest. From what I've heard he has trouble with 157lbs so I figured he would swap with MM who is smaller than Haines, at least by the looks of it. I do think Facundo could go 174lbs and be very good. He could also go 165lbs. 

If Kerk comes back it's obviously his spot. Otherwise Mirasola will man the spot. 

[Wrestleknownothing]

5 minutes ago, JimmyCinnabon said:

 

I think Carter can make 174lbs just fine. I only think he is going 174lbs because Jeff Byers said he thinks that's where he goes if he comes back. I saw the interview with Byers yesterday. I think it makes sense for Carter to go 197lbs and make the jump like Brooks did. Carter is taller than Brooks. 

Haines could go 174lbs to be honest. From what I've heard he has trouble with 157lbs so I figured he would swap with MM who is smaller than Haines, at least by the looks of it. I do think Facundo could go 174lbs and be very good. He could also go 165lbs. 

If Kerk comes back it's obviously his spot. Otherwise Mirasola will man the spot. 

From The Athletic:

Starocci wrestled at the U.S. Olympic Trials at 86 kg (189.6 pounds). He said he was tired of cutting weight to make 174....

“We have so many killers in the room,” Starocci said last month. “You guys saw (Alex) Facuno and (Levi) Haines going at it. Those guys are really good guys. I know Haines doesn’t want to make 157 anymore. I know Facundo’s having a hard time making 165. … I think however the team formulates I don’t think anyone is coming close to Penn State for a long, long, time.”

Obviously not definitive, but suggestive.

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

29 minutes ago, Threadkilla said:

 

Facundo is absolutely an AA threat and possibly a title threat.   If memory serves,  He was the #1 recruit in 2021.  He had a dismal post season in 2023, but he was right there with the best.   On any other team he would be a marqee guy.

Title threat?  He has AA level defense, but is sorely lacking in offense.  I would be shocked if he made AA this year.

[JimmyCinnabon]

16 minutes ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

From The Athletic:

Starocci wrestled at the U.S. Olympic Trials at 86 kg (189.6 pounds). He said he was tired of cutting weight to make 174....

“We have so many killers in the room,” Starocci said last month. “You guys saw (Alex) Facuno and (Levi) Haines going at it. Those guys are really good guys. I know Haines doesn’t want to make 157 anymore. I know Facundo’s having a hard time making 165. … I think however the team formulates I don’t think anyone is coming close to Penn State for a long, long, time.”

Obviously not definitive, but suggestive.

Yeah, I think Carter cuts weight to 174lbs. I don't think it's so bad he can't do it but I think the real reason he went 86kg at the trials is because with his injury he couldn't make 74kg. If he was healthy I think we would have seen him at 74kg for the trials and I think he would have weighed a decent bit under 174lbs for the weekend in preparation. 

But, I think all of your points here are valid and he moves up at least one weight but most likely two. Him moving to 197lbs makes room for Barr and Facundo.

[nhs67]

One thing to consider, gents, is that Barr and Facundo are childhood best friends.  Them competing together is a bucket list sort of thing.

If Facundo or Barr decide to leave, for whatever reason(s), the other might follow.

[Wrestleknownothing]

32 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

One thing to consider, gents, is that Barr and Facundo are childhood best friends.  Them competing together is a bucket list sort of thing.

If Facundo or Barr decide to leave, for whatever reason(s), the other might follow.

I wonder about that. I know of one pair of best friends/roommates where one transferred and the other did not. Perhaps their relationship wasn't as deep or as long, but at some point adult considerations begin to trump childhood dreams.

[1032004]

1 hour ago, pokemonster said:

What a ridiculous sum of money... 

Yup.  I love that these guys are making this much, but let’s be honest, no individual college wrestler is bringing in more than like $200k in revenue and that’s probably being generous (except for maybe Cayden Henschel).

It’s funny since people likely thought NIL would be the end of the non-revenue sports being supported by the revenue sports, but it may have just made it worse.  And for wrestling teams in the B10, I don’t think that will really change even if they split from the NCAA for football.

[BAC]

15 hours ago, 1032004 said:

He also stated he is the highest paid college wrestler “by a lot”

Where did he say this?

Where's this $1.25 million coming from?

Are you guys just making this stuff up?

Come on man.

[Hammerlock3]

8 hours ago, Threadkilla said:

 

Facundo is absolutely an AA threat and possibly a title threat.   If memory serves,  He was the #1 recruit in 2021.  He had a dismal post season in 2023, but he was right there with the best.   On any other team he would be a marqee guy.

i'd argue if he's on another team he's more like a chase saladate....

Minimum I think its incorrect to act like wrestling for PSU lowers your profile...

[MNRodent]

8 minutes ago, BAC said:

Where did he say this?

Where's this $1.25 million coming from?

Are you guys just making this stuff up?

Come on man.

 

[1032004]

8 hours ago, Threadkilla said:

 

Facundo is absolutely an AA threat and possibly a title threat.   If memory serves,  He was the #1 recruit in 2021.  He had a dismal post season in 2023, but he was right there with the best.   On any other team he would be a marqee guy.

I don’t think he’d necessarily be a “marquee guy” based on his NCAA results, he has 2 wins in his career over past AA’s.

But after seeing him beat Haines at the trials, I’m on board with that statement.

[Le duke]

On 5/2/2024 at 8:59 AM, Dogbone said:

I am not convinced he wins 174 if KOT goes up.  He wins 184 but it would be nice to see him and PK.   Both finalist leave 197 and its probably the easiest of the 3 weights. 

The KOT who lost to David Carr gets wrecked by a healthy Starocci at 174.

 

[Dogbone]

27 minutes ago, Le duke said:

The KOT who lost to David Carr gets wrecked by a healthy Starocci at 174.

 

Wrecked?? Ha. I guess if you only watch PSU wrestle you might not know David Carr is really good at wrestling (I'm joking, I know you know your stuff)

David Carr is a 2x NC who would be a 3xer if KOT wasn't in his weight; KOT is a 2x NC who would be 3xer (by now) if Carr wasn't in his weight.

Carr or KOT would be the best wrestler Starocci has faced in college and he doesn't wreck the top guys.  It's likely a close match that comes down to a scramble or 1 exchange. 

[ionel]

20 minutes ago, Dogbone said:

Wrecked?? Ha. I guess if you only watch PSU wrestle you might not know David Carr is really good at wrestling (I'm joking, I know you know your stuff)

David Carr is a 2x NC who would be a 3xer if KOT wasn't in his weight; KOT is a 2x NC who would be 3xer (by now) if Carr wasn't in his weight.

Carr or KOT would be the best wrestler Starocci has faced in college and he doesn't wreck the top guys.  It's likely a close match that comes down to a scramble or 1 exchange. 

^^^ this ^^^

[1032004]

22 hours ago, JimmyCinnabon said:

Yeah, I think Carter cuts weight to 174lbs. I don't think it's so bad he can't do it but I think the real reason he went 86kg at the trials is because with his injury he couldn't make 74kg. If he was healthy I think we would have seen him at 74kg for the trials and I think he would have weighed a decent bit under 174lbs for the weekend in preparation. 

But, I think all of your points here are valid and he moves up at least one weight but most likely two. Him moving to 197lbs makes room for Barr and Facundo.

Is Barr at 184 better than Cochran at 197?

Sounds kinda like Starocci is ducking Keckeisen.

[MPhillips]

34 minutes ago, Dogbone said:

Carr or KOT would be the best wrestler Starocci has faced in college and he doesn't wreck the top guys.

Welsh...