Now it is no surprise when we say that Gable Steveson can be considered the face of NCAA wrestling. After all, why shouldn’t we? Not only is he an Olympic gold medalist and a two-time NCAA champ, but the Gopher recently yet again made his claim as the best with his fourth Big 10 win. But if you aren’t still sold, then listen to who he beat for that title. He beat the reigning NCAA champ Greg Kerkvliet. Despite all this, however, there is one guy who makes even the Golden Gabe do a double-take when evaluating him. So who is this mystery guy?
Well, it is none other than Carter Starocci. Eyeing for a historic fifth NCAA title, Starocci is looking better than ever. With injuries getting the better of Starocci last season, the Penn State phenom seems to be back with more vigor. And he has already sent a chilling warning to all of his opponents, “And so for me, just one thing I wanna make sure is before I go that I kill all these guys.”
And this was not a comment made lightly. Starocci has not lost a college wrestling game in four years! Not to mention he is among the six wrestlers who have won four NCAA titles. Owing to such dominance, even Gable Steveson had to think twice before commenting on the outcome. As Starocci gets ready for an epic clash to make history, he does seem to have Steveson’s support. Speaking about Starocci’s final hurdle, Steveson initially said, “If he..” but then the Gopher had to pause.
As he looked at the man beside him, he must have replayed all the masterclasses Starocci had in the four years. With the replay done, Steveson corrected himself and continued, “Sorry, when he wins Saturday night, he’s going to go out and be a five-time national champ and it’s going to blow the world up. Shout out to him, shout out to Penn State.” Now, that’s what confidence looks like! And if a dominant figure like Steveson has this kind of confidence, then Carter Starocci is undoubtedly bound for success.
Meanwhile, just like Starocci, Gable Steveson too, has a mission to accomplish. Eyeing a third NCAA title, Steveson will try to remain razor-focused on his aim. After coming back to the NCAA realm, his dominance has made fans lash out at him. Steveson has been criticized significantly for being too qualified for the collegiate level. However, paying deaf ears to all the negativities, the Olympic gold medalist is hell-bent on finishing his final season with a hurrah.
Gable Steveson hits career century mark with a commanding pin at NCAAs
Gable Steveson wasted no time making history at the 2025 NCAA Championships. He notched the 100th win of his career in his usual dominant fashion. The top-seeded heavyweight from Minnesota pinned Purdue’s No. 33 Hayden Filipovich in just 1:25, showcasing his trademark explosiveness and precision. But was it unexpected? After all, Gable had already beaten Filipovich once during the regular season.
Steveson opened with three swift takedowns before locking up Filipovich’s shoulders for his 16th career pin and second at the NCAA Championships. This win makes Gable the 48th wrestler in Minnesota history to reach the coveted 100-win milestone, improving his career record to a staggering 100-2. The milestone victorious feat from Gable headlines a solid opening session for the Gophers, who sit in 10th place with 8.5 points after five wins.
Steveson now advances to a highly anticipated second-round clash with No. 9 Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State. And most importantly, it is the rematch of their 2022 NCAA Finals showdown, where Steveson emerged victorious. Their renewed rivalry promises fireworks, as Schultz looks to avenge that loss and Steveson seeks to maintain his dominance on the national stage.
Now, as the two heavyweight titans are waiting to grab their victory, Thursday night’s bout will undoubtedly leave wrestling enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. Will the next bout move Steveson one step closer to another NCAA title? If he does, he will move into a league of his own as one of the greatest mat technicians of all time. Not to mention he will grow closer to Verne Gagne. Let’s see what happens.
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