Behind the scenes as Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci shares journey to 184 pounds, 5th title

Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci said he’s moving up one weight class to 184 pounds this season — and he’ll be sharing part of that journey to bulk up in a five-part series of online shorts that kicked off Monday.

In a partnership with Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, a nonprofit tourism bureau, Starocci is visiting five Centre County restaurants that can cater to his diet while at the same time offering a space for him to discuss food, wrestling and life. And, of course, he’s sure to hit on a few topics that wrestling fans have wondered about all offseason.

During a break in filming on a recent evening, in a behind-the-scenes look at Gigi’s Southern Table in Ferguson Township, Starocci even told the CDT he’s feeling “a lot better” after wearing a bulky leg brace at March’s NCAA Wrestling Championships. The exact nature of Starocci’s injury was never disclosed, even after he became just the sixth wrestler to ever win four NCAA titles.

“I forgot that was even a thing, to be honest,” Starocci said, alluding to the injury. “I’m brand new and a lot better, so I think things are almost like a blessing — because they lead you down a path and, with that path, you get so much better in certain areas you weren’t hitting on. So, for me, it’s been a new leap in a better direction. I’m excited.

“So, if anybody’s wondering how it is, make sure you’re at the NWCA All-Star Classic (at Penn State on Nov. 16), and you’ll find out.”

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, or HVAB for short, is banking on Starocci’s charisma and popularity to better highlight county restaurants. Starocci will host five episodes of roughly five minutes apiece, with each episode staggered about two weeks apart.

Because Starocci is chasing an unprecedented fifth NCAA title, thanks to the extra season granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series is titled, “Carter’s Drive and dine for 5.” HVAB referred to the NIL deal as the first “significant” partnership project it’s had with a Penn State student-athlete, and it plans to announce another similar marketing deal later this month.

But, for now, the focus is entirely on Starocci.

“This is a different side to him,” said Dave Gerdes, HVAB’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Most people don’t see this side. He’s a really, really neat kid.”

Starocci, who’s earned a reputation for being brash and outspoken, shared what made him tick at one recent filming while cracking jokes and answering questions about his wrestling mindset. When the director asked if he could remove his glasses due to glare from overhead lights, Starocci smiled and quipped to laughter, “But shorties are telling me to wear the glasses.” He later made the sign of a cross before digging into some deviled eggs.

He’s not afraid to be who he is. When asked on camera to name his favorite places to wrestle outside Penn State, the reigning NCAA champ explained he didn’t have an answer — because he didn’t want to put the shine on a venue outside Happy Valley. “I don’t care if they have all the new, nicest material, I’m like, ‘This place is a dump,’ and I’m kicking stuff over,” he said, before clarifying he’s not actually knocking chairs over. But he also praised Iowa’s fan base, sharing that his 2022 visit to Carver Hawkeye Arena was so loud that the floor vibrated and he wouldn’t have heard someone trying to shout directly into his ear.

He still won there, 2-1 (TB1), over Iowa’s Michael Kemerer.

“I’m a professional, so I know how to harness my energy and blast it back in their face,” Starocci added.

Starocci also wasn’t afraid to pepper in some personal anecdotes during filming. One of the reasons he wanted to try some new restaurants, he explained, is because he knows he needs to expand his horizons. When it comes to food, he likes to stick to what he knows — but that plan doesn’t work so well in unfamiliar places.

“Actually, when I was in Japan, I was looking for burgers and they were like, ‘There are no burgers here,’” he told the camera.

It was never a secret that Starocci planned to move up in weight this offseason, but there was a question of whether he might attempt a move to 197 pounds. He said during filming, and clarified again to the CDT, that it’s best for the Nittany Lions if he moves up just one class to 184 pounds.

Starocci emphasized during the taping how seriously he’s taking his diet, while Nick Salerno, a friend sitting across from him, detailed what physical changes he’ll see this year.

Last season, in the middle of some tournaments, Starocci needed to work out to maintain his weight while some teammates could rest. This season, that’s not expected to be an issue and he can better relax. With a calorie intake that’s been increased about 33% — and a diet high in vegetables and lean meats like bison and certain cuts of steak — Starocci should boast even more energy toward the end of the season.

The 23-year-old Nittany Lion has a team devoted to turning him into an even better athlete. He sends blood and hair samples out west to measure different nutrient levels and impact what food he puts into his body. Salerno — who assists Starocci in nutrition, cooking and food preparation — then drops off 14 weekly meals packaged in glass containers.

Starocci is only responsible for breakfast and snacks, and he has guidelines to follow. And don’t expect to see him cheating on that diet with a greasy slice of late-night pizza anytime soon.

“That never crossed my mind and, if it does, I’d rather die that give into that,” Starocci said about the pizza. “I look at it as the sport is already tough enough, and I’m not doing this to say another man can beat me. So I truly give it my all.

“Even if I wanted to (eat a greasy slice), my brain would just eat me alive. ‘Well, obviously, you don’t want to be the best. If you’re willing to do that, you’re not willing to give it everything you have.’ So, to me, there’s no slacking.”

It seems that applies to most everything Starocci does. After the first day of filming, Gerdes — the HVAB official — said Starocci texted him all night about what he could do better. “That’s why this guy’s so good; he’s coachable,” Gerdes added. And Starocci isn’t afraid to ask for a do-over on filming a scene if he thinks he could handle it better.

Filming is not yet complete on the series, and HVAB wouldn’t rule out a future project involving Starocci. The series is directed by Pablo Lopez, who recently completed all the requirements to become an Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Certified Film Commissioner.

Future episodes of HVAB’s “Carter’s Drive and dine for 5” can be found at YouTube.com/@HappyValleyPA.