Carter Starocci, Jess Mruzik Honored as Penn State's Athletes of the Year

Carter Starocci and Jess Mruzik, who had epic national-championship seasons for Penn State in 2024-25, are the school's Athletes of the Year. Starocci and Mruzik helped their teams to NCAA championships while delivering two of the most memorable individual seasons in Penn State sports history.

Starocci won his second straight Penn State Athlete of the Year award after becoming the first Division I men's wrestler to win five NCAA wrestling titles. Starocci defeated Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen in the 184-pound title bout at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. Starocci won his four previous NCAA titles at 174 pounds.

Starocci punctuated a 25-0 season by becoming one of Penn State's two national champions in Philadelphia. The Erie, Pennsylvania, native finished with a career record of 104-4, though two of those losses were by injury default at the 2024 Big Ten Championships.

Starocci did not lose a bout on the mat after the 2021 Big Ten finals and he never lost a bout at NCAAs, winning the 2024 title essentially on one leg after sustaining an injury late in the regular season. Starocci also won team titles in four of his five seasons at Penn State.

Starocci last season was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, the Most Valuable Wrestler of the NCAA Tournament and a Hodge Trophy finalist. During his career, Starocci scored bonus points in 86 of his 104 career wins. That included 20 pins and 25 technical falls.

Like Starocci, Mruzik was named the Most Outstanding Player of an NCAA Championships after leading Penn State women's volleyball to its eighth national championship. She hit .308 in Penn State's title-clinching victories over Nebraska and Louisville, averaging 6.1 kills, 2.9 digs and .67 blocks per set. Mruzik recorded double-doubles in kills and digs in both matches, compiling 55 kills in the semifinals and championship match. Penn State's reverse-sweep win over Nebraska in the semifinals was among the most compelling women's volleyball matches of the season.

A two-time All-American at Penn State, Mruzik finished her college volleyball career with more than 2,000 kills, 1,100 digs, 250 blocks and 100 aces. The outside hitter became the third Penn State player to compile more than 2,000 kills. Mruzik was a four-time All-Big Ten selection, including her three seasons at Michigan prior to joining Penn State's roster.

Penn State also recognized Mruzik with the Ernest B. McCoy Award, which honors athletes' academic and athletic successes. Mruzik completed an MBA and Penn State and is pursuing a graduate certificate in business analytics. She plays professionally for Houston in League One Volleyball.

As Penn State's Athletes of the Year, Mruzik and Starocci are nominated for the Big Ten Athletes of the Year awards.