Mitchell Mesenbrink and Carter Starocci.
Penn State’s two 2025 NCAA Division I national champions are similar in their dominance on the mat and their love of wrestling. Both men ended the 2024-25 season undefeated and are finalists for the 2025 Dan Hodge Trophy.
They’re also united by unusual mindsets that drive their success compared to the rest of the country. The difference is what their mindsets entail and how it shows on the mat.
The difference between the way Mesenbrink and Starocci view a wrestling match is the difference between a game of chess and going to war.