Penn State Wrestling: What the Nittany Lions Said About the NCAA Wrestling Finals….
Penn State’s wrestling team showcased exceptional performances at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, with several athletes and coaches sharing their insights:
Carter Starocci made history by becoming the first-ever five-time NCAA champion. Despite this monumental achievement, he expressed frustration with ESPN’s scheduling of his match:
> “I was the first match up. I’m not sure why ESPN elected for the 184-pound match to be the first one… We’ve been dominant all year, and you put that match first?”
Aaron Brooks, who secured his fourth national title at 197 pounds, reflected on his journey and the influence of Coach Cael Sanderson:
> “Being six years old in the back of the car watching those things… I didn’t think I’d be here.”
Mitchell Mesenbrink, a redshirt freshman at 165 pounds, faced a narrow 9-8 defeat in the finals. Demonstrating resilience, he remarked:
> “My value doesn’t lie in winning or losing… I worked as hard as I could. Now I can go back and work on the things I need to work on.”
Head Coach Cael Sanderson emphasized the team’s forward-looking approach:
> “That’s what we do. We always think ahead preparing for the future… We’ll be back in the room on Monday.”
He also praised Starocci’s perseverance through injury:
> “Wrestling with the injury that he had was really, really impressive. There’s not a lot of human beings on the planet that would be able to do what he just did.”
These reflections underscore the dedication and resilience that define Penn State wrestling.
