Carter Starocci Opens U.S. Olympic Trials With an Impressive Win
Updates from the U.S. Olympic Trials at Penn State, where the Nittany Lions are taking center stage.
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials are underway at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College. The two-day event will determine who represents Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Sixteen past, present and future Nittany Lions will represent Penn State wrestling at the Olympic Trials. We're updating their progress on Day 1 of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials.
RELATED: David Taylor delivers a recruiting pitch for Penn State wrestling
Carter Starocci falls in second round
After winning his opener in the 86 kg freestyle bracket, Penn State's Carter Starocci faced a tough spot in Round 2. Starocci had about an hour to recover becore facing Trent Hidlay, the NCAA runnerup (to Aaron Brooks) at 197 pounds. By bumping up a weight class in freestyle (he won his NCAA title at 174), Starocci knew this was coming. He and Hidlay wrestled a back-and-forth bout, but Hidlay broke a 3-3 tie with a second-period takedown en route to a 6-4 victory.
Greg Kerkvliet scores an assertive win
Having to wrestle in the same lineup as Aaron Brooks and Carter Starocci pressed Greg Kerkvliet into a bit of a shadow last season. But Kerkvliet was among the nation's most dominant wrestlers, cruising unbeaten through the season to the NCAA title at heavyweight. Kerkvliet now is among the most interesting wrestlers to watch in the 125 kg freestyle class at the Trials.
Kerkvliet dominated his opening bout, a 10-0 technical superiority over Christian Lance. He'll face Nick Gwiazdowski in the challenge bracket's semifinals. Kerkvliet is looking toward a possible championship-series matchup with Mason Parris, to whom he lost in the 2023 NCAA final.
Mitchell Mesenbrink continues scoring
Mitchell Mesenbrink, who reached the final at 165 pounds in his first NCAA tournament, was among Penn State's highest-scoring wrestlers all season. He's in perpetual attack mode, a trait he brought to the Olympic Trials. Mesenbrink, seeded fifth at 74 kg freestyle, dominated Ladarion Lockett for a 13-3 technical superiority win. His next opponent: Jordan Burroughs.
A Penn State legend faces a future legend?
The second round of the 86 kg freestyle tournament brought a fascinating matchup. Aaron Brooks, Penn State's four-time national champion and the challenge bracket's top seed, faced Connor Mirasola, a high school senior from Wisconsin. Mirasola also happens to be a four-time state champ and future Nittany Lions (he'll be a freshman next season). Though Brooks won 11-5, Mirasola acquited himself exceptionally well.
Mirasola, who won his opening bout, took an aggressive tone early, scoring the bout's first takedown. No wrestler during this past dual-meet season or postseason scored a takedown against Brooks. During a second-period stoppage, Penn State legends were all over the mat. Bo Nickal, Penn State's three-time NCAA champ, joined Penn State coach Cael Sanderson in some stoppage-time discussion with Brooks. Those three wrestlers have won a combined 11 NCAA titles.
Jason Nolf looks stout in opener
Jason Nolf, a three-time NCAA champ and Penn State fan favorite, returned to the Bryce Jordan Center seeded second in the 74 kg freestyle challenge tournament. Nolf wrestled sharply in his opener, a 7-2 decision over Alex Marinelli. Nolf has been wrestling freestyle internationally since 2020 and looks for another shot at Kyle Dake, to whom he lost in the 2022 and '23 U.S. World Team Trials.
Carter Starocci rolls in his opener
Carter Starocci's move to the 86 kg freestyle class prompted plenty of curious reaction inside wrestling. Could Starocci, just five weeks after winning an NCAA title with an injured knee,compete in the competitive class? Great start. Pat Downey, an MMA competitor, led Starocci 4-1 with 2 minutes remaining in the second period, when action was halted as Downey was slow to get up. Follwing the stoppage, Starocci took over. He scored 11 straight points on repetitive takedowns for a commanding 12-4 victory. Starocci took advantage of Downey's fatigue, hitting a six-point move immediately after the stoppage. Starocci's conditioning appears strong.
Alex Facundo defeats Penn State teammate Levi Haines
Penn State teammates Levi Haines, a two-time NCAA finalist and 2024 champ, and Alex Facundo, who redshirted this season, got things started quickly in the 74 kg challenge tournament. Facundo, who has been wrestling freestyle all season, got the better of Haines for a 6-0 win. Noting the difference between folkstyle and freestyle, Facundo scored his first point when Haines was put on the clock and did not score.
After the victory, Facundo squared off against Jordan Burroughs in Round 2. Despite giving up the first takedown, Burroughs rallied for grueling 5-3 victory over Facundo.
Nick Lee stars strong
Lee, a two-time NCAA champ at Penn State, rolled to a 9-2 win over Alec Pantaleo in the second round at 65 kg freestyle. Lee entered the Trials seeded first in the challenge tournament. Lee led 1-0 in the second when he scored eight straight points to take control of the bout.
Beau Bartlett wins opener, then falls
Penn State's Beau Bartlett wrestled twice within 90 minutes, winning his first bout and falling in his second of the 65 kg freestyle bracket. The 2024 NCAA runnerup at 141 pounds defeated Nahshon Garrett 10-6 to start, hitting an early 4-point move and fending off Garrett's retaliatory push for the victory. Bartlett then faced Andrew Alirez in second round. Alirez, who defeated Bartlett 6-2 in the 2023 NCAA semifinals, broke a 2-2 tie in the second period with a four-point move. Alirez, taking an Olympic redshirt from Northern Colorado, won Friday's freestyle rematch 6-2.
A future Nittany Lion wins early
Connor Mirasola, a four-time Wisconsin state champ who will join Penn State's 2024 roster, opened the 86 kg challenge tournament with an impressive 4-0 win over David McFadden. Mirasola fended off a late takedown attempt to score and complete the shutout. Up next for Mirarola: a second-round date with Aaron Brooks, Penn State's four-time champ.
A few early losses
Vincenzo Joseph, a two-time national champ at Penn State, fell in his opener to Jarrett Jacques 6-6 on criteria in the 74 kg freestyle class. Max Dean, a 2022 national champ, entered into the stacked 86 kg freestyle class. He lost in a 13-1 technical fall to Evan Wick. At 86 kg, Mark Hall (a 2017 NCAA champ for Penn State) fell 5-2 to Alex Dieringer.
At 57 kg freestyle, Nico Megaludis (a Penn State national champ in 2016) fell 8-0 to Spencer Lee, the three-time NCAA champ at Iowa. Lee and Megaludis both went to Franklin Regional High near Pittsburgh.
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.
