Blue White Illustrated

November 2024

Penn State Sports Magazine

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N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 4 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M MMA career, and then I want to come back and win the Olympics in Los Ange- les in 2028 and then have my full-time MMA career. And when I wrap up MMA, I plan to have my own business." He says he feels healthier than ever, especially with no longer having to cut to 174, and that he's pushed the injury out of his head, noting that his mind "is absolutely bulletproof." His team will shoot for its fourth con- secutive NCAA title and 12th in the past 14 championship events. Sanderson said he doesn't think he's had a team with as much talent as this one, and Starocci agrees. "We have the potential to do a lot bet- ter things this year, I guess we'll find out," he said. "Men lie, women lie, but numbers don't. At the end of the day, when someone's running their mouth, you've just got to check the numbers, and that's going to tell the truth every single time. "When it's time to enter an arena or a gym, you just hit that switch and you just literally take everybody out. That's the mindset that I have on game day. I'll take my own mother out. I take it that serious, and that's what's fun for me." ■ Starocci heads into his final college campaign having won the past four NCAA championships at 174 pounds. He'll be moving up in weight to the 184-pound class this season. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS

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