On Campus: Erie's Carter Starocci to wrestle for US in U23 World Championships
Carter Starocci likely won't be in person when Penn State University's wrestling team starts October workouts ahead of its 2022-23 season.
Nittany Lions' fans shouldn't be alarmed, though. The Cathedral Prep graduate and two-time NCAA gold medalist will have a valid reason for any absence.
Starocci, winner of Division I's last two titles at 174 pounds, has indicated he'll represent the United States during the 2022 U23 World Wrestling Championships. That tournament will run Oct. 17-23 at Pontevedra, Spain, which is located on the country's Atlantic coast.
The Daily Collegian, Penn State's independent student newspaper, reported Wednesday that Starocci was offered the Americans' third seed for the U23's 79-kilogram division. That happened when Vincenzo Joseph forfeited ahead of their third-place match during last weekend's qualifying tournament at Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Chris Starocci, Carter's father, informed the Erie Times-News last Thursday that his son has officially accepted the tournament's berth.
Carter Starocci indicated as much in a Twitter post from the day before.
“Spit shine that belt,” he said. “The bigger the occasion, the bigger I come.”
Starocci graduated from Prep in 2019 with a 162-9 record – including 88-0 as a junior and senior – as a member of the Ramblers' wrestling team. He was a four-time PIAA Class 3A medalist, a three-time finalist and the state champion in the 160-pound division in 2018 and 182-pound division in 2019.
Men's golf
The Gannon men's golf team collected two major PSAC awards after a season that ended at the NCAA Championships with a 19th-place finish.
Connor Bennink was selected as PSAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Year while Erie native and McDowell High School graduate Dustin Coleman was a repeat winner of the PSAC Coach of the Year award.
Bennink and Abe Holmes were named to he All-PSAC first team. Bennink is now a three-time PSAC honoree, having been named first team twice and second team once. Holmes is also a three-time, all-PSAC golfer with two first-team nods and one second-team selection. Holmes was the top PSAC men's golfer last year.
With the PSAC Coach of the Year award, Coleman and his father, Ron Coleman (Mercyhurst), swept the PSAC golf coach of the year awards. Ron Coleman was chosen as the PSAC Women's Coach of the Year after this season. He recently announced his retirement.
The Mercyhurst men's team had two golfers selected to the all-PSAC team. Ryan Ferry, a Meadville graduate, made the first team, while Jack Angelucci was a second-team honoree.
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper. Josh Reilly contribute to this report.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: On Campus: Erie's Starocci to wrestle for US in U23 Worlds
