Takedown Report

25 notable college wrestlers to watch in 2023-2024

With a little less than two months until the start of the 2023-2024 NCAA men’s wrestling season, it’s time to take stock of the field and evaluate the biggest names in the sport. 

Right now, two athletes lead the pack: Aaron Brooks and Carter Starocci. 

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These three-time Penn State national champions will both begin this year with the goal of not only becoming the first four-time champs for the Nittany Lions but also becoming the only two wrestlers from the same team to become four-time champs in the same year. Only one other school in history has produced multiple four-time national champions, and that school — Cornell — just achieved that feat last year when Big Red senior Yianni Diakomihalis captured his fourth individual crown. Penn State is in a unique spot this year with their two upperweight stars, but Brooks and Starocci are far from the only athletes you need to know about heading into the 2023-2024 seasons. 

Below is a list of the top 25 athletes to watch as we inch towards November, though the best part about college wrestling is all of the athletes who aren’t on the radar yet and will be poised to break into this tier of talent over the course of the season. This list is also not necessarily a pound-for-pound ranking and more of a subjective list of notable names, though previous achievement served as a key factor in who earned a spot on this year’s “names to watch” list. 

1. Carter Starocci, Penn State, 174 pounds

A focused and fierce upperweight, Carter Starocci has collected three individual national titles in as many years for the Penn State Nittany Lions at 174 pounds, and he’s on track to potentially become Penn State’s first four-time national champion. While Starocci teased fans that he might not return for his fourth season (or potentially his fifth season next year), the Penn State coaching staff will no doubt want to do what they can to keep Starocci on the mat, given his historic success. 

2023 BIG TENS: Penn State wins conference tournament with four champs 

Starocci has amassed an 80-2 career record thus far with the Blue and White, only dropping matches to DJ Washington in the Indiana dual his freshman year and Michael Kemerer in the 2021 Big Ten finals. He’s avenged both those losses though and hasn’t dropped a bout since March 2021.

Starocci doesn’t just win, he dominates. He has bonused 66.67% of his opponents last year and comes into the season as the heavy favorite to run through the weight with force. The Hodge Trophy is a potential goal for Starocci as well, but he’s been clear that aspirations extend beyond college. He told reporters at the 2023 NCAA wrestling tournament that he sees himself winning the Olympics in 2024, and while that statement is bold, it’s par for the course for one of the most confident, competitive wrestlers in the Penn State lineup this year.

2. Aaron Brooks, Penn State, 197 pounds

Starocci isn’t the only Penn State wrestler with a chance to win his fourth NCAA title this season — Maryland native Aaron Brooks is also on this quest, and he’ll do so in a new weight class this year after winning his last three titles at 184 pounds. Brooks comes into his final season with the Nittany Lions holding a 67-3 varsity record with his losses coming against Marcus Coleman, Myles Amine and Taylor Venz, all of whom have since graduated. 

BOYS IN BLUE: History, stats and records from the Penn State wrestling program 

The 197-pound weight class will be an interesting new challenge for Brooks, as he’ll cross paths with returning NCAA finalist Tanner Sloan, former 184-pound national finalist Trent Hidlay, former teammate Michael Beard and a handful of other All-Americans who will be aiming to take down the Nittany Lion champ. Brooks’ credentials, dominance and strength though still make him the favorite. He earned the No. 1 ranking from Intermat to start the year, and he’ll be the top guy until proven otherwise. 

Another interesting wrinkle this year for Brooks will be his efforts to manage folkstyle goals with freestyle opportunities because, like Starocci, Brooks has Olympic aspirations, and he’s one of a few college athletes with a real chance to challenge for a spot on the 2024 Olympic team. Brooks advanced to Final X this year after winning the U.S. Open, and he battled tough against now four-time World and Olympic champion David Taylor in that best two-out-of-three series. A former Penn State wrestler, Taylor has owned the 86kg weight for the U.S. for nearly half a decade, but Brooks is looking like the heir apparent at the weight, and he’ll have his shot against Taylor again at the Olympic Trials in April. 

3. Keegan O’Toole, Missouri, 165 pounds

… rest of list and videos at … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/2023/25-notable-college-wrestlers-watch-2023-2024

September 25, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized