College wrestling champion Carter Starocci reveals what Donald Trump told him after history-making win
Penn State wrestling star Carter Starocci has lifted the lid on his conversation with Donald Trump in the wake of his historic NCAA title win.
The president, and a score of other members of his inner circle, attended the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia on Saturday night.
Starocci made a beeline for Trump just moments after becoming the first-ever five-time national champion.
On Monday, the Penn State star revealed that Trump gave him a gift – and offered some inspiring words – when they met inside the arena.
‘(He told me) “You’re one of my favorite wrestlers to watch in the world. I love your tenacity. I love your interviews”,’ Starocci told Fox News.
‘Then I told him I appreciated his persona as well. I told him the story, too… (I said): “When I was warming up, they made it a little hard for me because you’re the big dog” and he laughed, and then he gave me a nice coin to recognize me.’
Penn State star Carter Starocci has lifted the lid on his conversation with Donald Trump
Starocci spoke to Trump moments after becoming the first-ever five-time national champion
He was named the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championship Outstanding Wrestler after his win
The president and his inner circle attended the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia
It was not the first time that Starocci – who was named the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championship Outstanding Wrestler – had met the president.
‘When I heard he was coming, I kind of figured I was going to go over there and say a few words to my man,’ he continued. ‘Because I’ve met him before, so having him in the house is always special.’
Also on Saturday night, Oklahoma State heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Wrestling history before saluting the president.
Hendrickson’s main-event bout against heavy favorite and reigning Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was decided in the final 20 seconds of the match.
The Oklahoma State behemoth scored a 3-point takedown and prevented Steveson from getting a reversal to win the NCAA title, with his coaches mobbing him seconds after the clock reached zeroes.
After a few more moments, Hendrickson, second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, was draped with an American flag and stood at attention in the direction of the 47th President, who clapped and waved back.
