Penn State star Carter Starocci must go through Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen to win a fifth title tonight at Wells Fargo Center.
It’s the feature event at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.Starocci, who won his first four titles at 174, is up one class to 184. He is 29-0 this season and 103-4 in his storied career.
Keckeisen is also unbeaten (32-0) and he is the returning NCAA champ at the weight.
The two wrestlers met in November at Rec Hall in the 2024 NCWA Wrestling Classic at 184. Not much separated the two then, and that figures to be the case tonight.
Starocci won 4-1 in sudden victory, converting a single-leg takedown shot on Keckeisen’s left leg at the edge with 27 seconds left in overtime.
Starocci and Keckeisen were both asked about the November result on Friday night after their semifinal wins.
“I think it’s always important,” said Starocci, the top seed at nationals who beat No. 4 seed Dustin Plott of Oklahoma State 9-3 in his semifinal.
“I think it’s something that the other top guys, they need to put their foot out there. You get high-level competition. And for me, I’ll see (Keckeisen) again.
“As far as what I take from that match, I mean, he’s obviously a tough kid, but to be a national champ, it takes a lot more than toughness. So, we will find out tomorrow night.”
Keckeisen acknowledged Starocci’s ability to constantly put pressure on foes from neutral was an issue when they met.
“Just go out there and trust in myself,” said Keckeisen, who beat Minnesota’s Max McEnelly 4-1 in sudden victory in his 184 semifinal on Friday.
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“And you know, to beat a guy like (Starocci), you’re going to have to have defense, defend leg attacks and get to leg attacks and score.”
Keckeisen added: “I’m going to have to get forward pressure and trust myself more. (Starocci’s) a great competitor. I feel like I’m a great competitor. And just have that confidence going out there that I can wrestle the best and beat the best.”
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