Three Erie-area wrestlers to compete at NCAA Division I championships. Who are they?
Three former Cathedral Prep wrestlers competed at the 2024 NCAA Division I championships.
Three more will take the mats this year in Philadelphia.
Carter Starocci, Paniro Johnson and Jake Van Dee wore the same Rambler singlets in 2019. Starocci won his second PIAA championship that year, two years before Van Dee won his first.
All three now star for their respective college programs. Starocci seeks a record-setting fifth NCAA D-I title while the other two pursue All-American status for the first time.
Here’s what to know ahead of the action at Wells Fargo Center.
History in the making?
Starocci, Van Dee and Bucknell’s Dorian Crosby (a 2020 Prep alum) each won their first match at last year’s national championships, giving the former Ramblers a 3-0 start.
Crosby transferred to Gannon University for a graduate season which saw him capture D-II All-American honors at heavyweight. Johnson, a 2021 Prep graduate and redshirt sophomore at Iowa State University, replaces him after missing the 2023-24 collegiate season.
Johnson, the Big 12 conference champion, is seeded fourth at 149 pounds with a 21-5 season record. He’ll open the tournament against Virginia’s Jack Gioffre (9-6) before a potential second-round matchup with No. 13 Dylan D’Emilio (21-5) of Ohio State and quarterfinal against fifth-seeded Kyle Parco (20-3) of Iowa.
Van Dee, a 14-9 sophomore at the University of Nebraska and 2022 Prep alum, will aim to improve upon last year’s 1-2 NCAA finish. The 17th seed at 133 pounds, he’ll open against Pennsylvania’s Ryan Miller (22-6), the winner likely earning a bout with top-seeded Lucas Byrd (18-3) of Illinois.
Penn State graduate student Carter Starocci is perhaps the tournament’s biggest story.
Starocci’s only losses since 2021 were his two medical forfeits at the 2024 Big 10 championships. One of seven four-time D-I champions in wrestling history and the defending champ at 174 pounds, the 2019 Prep grad begins his quest for No. 5 as the top seed at 184. He’s 21-0.
Many expect Starocci to meet Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen (24-0), the reigning 184-pound national champ, in Saturday’s championship finals. Starocci defeated Keckeisen in sudden victory at the 2024 NWCA All-Star Wrestling Classic in November, a bout not sanctioned by the NCAA.
Championship information
First-round preliminaries start Thursday at noon.
Second-round prelims will follow at 7 p.m. before quarterfinals Friday at noon and semis at 7 p.m. Consolation bouts will accompany each of these rounds.
Consolation finals are Saturday at 11 a.m. before championship finals at 7 p.m. All matches will be either broadcast on the ESPN family of networks or streamed through ESPN+, including first-round prelims, quarterfinals and consolation finals on ESPNU, semis on ESPN2, and second-round prelims and finals on ESPN.
Penn State seeks a fourth consecutive team championship and 12th since 2011.
Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @realjuveino.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: NCAA wrestling: Erie sends three Cathedral Prep alumni to national meet
Topics
-
NCAA championship brackets released, 3 CSUB wrestlers learn seedings, opposition
The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place March 20-22 in Philadelphia, but the bracket draws involving the three Cal State Bakersfield wrestlers who qualified in the 125-, 197- ...Yahoo Sports - 6d -
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Outlining paths for 10 UNI Panther wrestlers in Philadelphia
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Outlining paths for 10 UNI Panther wrestlers in PhiladelphiaYahoo Sports - 3d -
Teague Travis' gamble for Oklahoma State wrestling paid off in trip to NCAA Championships
Oklahoma State wrestler Teague Travis thought his season was over, but instead, he's competing at the NCAA Championships this week.Yahoo Sports - 1h -
NCAA Wrestling Championships: Schedule, rules, scoring, stats
The NCAA men's Division I wrestling championships start Thursday; here's how to watch Penn State, Iowa and more.ESPN - 10h -
D-I girls basketball championship: Live score updates from St. Johnsbury-Burlington
Who will win the Division I high school girls basketball championship game? We find out tonight.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
WATCH: Kansas Jayhawks blast five straight home runs, tying NCAA Division I record
It's the fourth time this has happened in Division I history, and the first since 2006CBS Sports - Mar. 13 -
MAKING HIS MARK: UWEC's Strouf captures NCAA shot put title
It has been a long, winding and adversity filled track and field career for UW-Eau Claire's Adam Strouf. The senior from Rice Lake competed for two NCAA Division I universities before finding the ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
How to watch Maryland, American and Mount St. Mary's in NCAA Tournament
Maryland, American and Mount St. Mary's will play in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, to be held over the next three weeks.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Daniel wins long jump on Day One of NCAA Men's and Women's Indoor track and field championships
Kelsey Daniel became the first Texas Longhorn to win the men’s long jump on the opening day of the Division I men’s and women’s indoor track and field championships, jumping a program record 8.16 ...ABC News - 5d -
In the longest boys hockey final, Arndt's goal gives Concord the Division I title
Mar. 16—MANCHESTER — The longer the game went, the more the tide turned in Concord's favor, and boy was this game long. Saturday's NHIAA Division I boys hockey championship at SNHU Arena was the ...Yahoo Sports - 4d -
'I did my best': Jaxon Burcher's title hopes fell short, but he left IV with no regrets
Indian Valley's Jaxon Burcher was among three Braves who placed at the Division II state tournament.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Daniel wins long jump on Day One of NCAA Men's and Women's Indoor track and field championships
Kelsey Daniel became the first Texas Longhorn to win the men's long jump on the opening day of the Division I men's and women's indoor track and field championships, jumping a program record 8.16 ...Yahoo Sports - 5d -
11 area wrestlers earn Keystone State Championships titles
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Eleven area youth wrestlers earned Keystone State Championships titles Saturday and Sunday at Bryce Jordan Center. In the boys 15-16 bracket, Berlin Brothersvalley's Dawson ...Yahoo Sports - 4d -
March Madness: How to win your NCAA women's tournament pool and a look at what history tells us
Congratulations to the 12 teams left in the chase for the women’s Division I national championship. Technically, yes, there are 68 teams in the women’s tournament field, but history tells us that ...Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Poll: Who was the high school Wrestler of the Year in Battle Creek area?
Vote here for the 2024-25 Battle Creek Enquirer 'Readers Choice' High School Wrestler of the YearYahoo Sports - 1d -
USC wins first NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field championship in 53 years
Southern California clinched the 2025 Division I men's indoor track and field title in the final event on Saturday night at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. It was a chaotic final event, the ...Yahoo Sports - 4d -
How to Watch March Madness 2025
Here’s how you can tune in to watch the men’s and women’s teams fight to win the 2025 NCAA Division I Basketball championship.Wired - Mar. 12 -
Who scored and who qualified for Oregon on first day of NCAA Track & Field Championships?
The Oregon track and field teams both got on the board Friday during the opening day of the NCAA Indoor Championship meet in VirginiaYahoo Sports - 5d -
Here are all the Minnesotans competing in this year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament
It’s officially March Madness and this is the last chance for Hopkins graduate Paige Bueckers to win that elusive national championship. She’s done pretty much everything else during her time at ...Yahoo Sports - 7h -
Pitt-Johnstown's Isaiah Vance advances to NCAA Division II wrestling semifinals, Trevon Gray locks down All-American honors
INDIANAPOLIS – Pitt-Johnstown’s Isaiah Vance (285 pounds) won his first two matches to reach the semifinals Friday at the 2025 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships inside Corteva Coliseum. ...Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Marquette coach Shaka Smart has good story about working with a teenage LeBron James
Shaka Smart's first NCAA Division I assistant job was at Akron for Keith Dambrot, who coached LeBron James in high school.Yahoo Sports - 47m -
Women’s college basketball debate: Who will earn the NCAA Tournament final No. 1 seed?
The Athletic Sabreena Merchant: Over the last seven NCAA Tournaments (what I would consider the current era after UConn’s four-peat), at least two No. 1 seeds have made the Final Four every year. ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 13 -
Judo team competes at state
Mar. 13—On March 8th, 2025, Members of the Odessa Boys & Girls Club Judo Team competed in the State Championships at Plano, Texas and came home with 20 total medals. © 2025 the Odessa American ...Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Attica wrestler Aubrey Bartkowiak pins self doubt and captures USA Folkstyle title
With zero expectations or pressure - Attica wrestler Aubrey Bartkowiak puts herself on national map at USA Junior Folkstyle National Championships.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Watch: LeBron James and son Bryce embrace after Sierra Canyon wins state championship
Bryce James' Sierra Canyon Trailblazers won the Division I state championship on Friday, and he shared a touching moment with his parents afterward.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
HIGH SCHOOL POWERLIFTING: Montes ready to compete at state
Mar. 18—Odessa High powerlifter Jairo Montes originally didn't expect to be competing at the state championships. The junior qualified for regionals this year for the first time as a powerlifter, ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
What to know about transgender swimmer Lia Thomas
Lia Thomas is a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer who drew harsh criticism for her success as the first openly transgender athlete to win a Division I championship in 2022, the year she ...Yahoo Sports - 22h -
Antrim and Fermanagh in action - how things stand in Division Three
BBC Sport takes a look at the permutations ahead of the penultimate round of fixtures in Division Three of the Allianz Football League.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
'We'll be back, I promise:' Lakota West falls at buzzer in Division I state semifinal
Lakota West plays Reynoldsburg in the OHSAA boys basketball Division I state semifinals at Wright State University's Nutter CenterYahoo Sports - 4d -
With LeBron James looking on, Sierra Canyon captures Division I state title
Maximo Adams helped spur a late rally, and Gavin Hightower finished with 15 points to lead Sierra Canyon past Stockton Lincoln for the state Division I boys' basketball title.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
The Players Championship: How to watch Rory McIlroy, J.J. Spaun in their Monday playoff at TPC Sawgrass
Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun will compete in a three-hole playoff on Monday morning in Florida.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Printable March Madness bracket 2025: NCAA Division I basketball bracket to download, fill out
You can find both the men's and women's brackets here.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
March Madness History: Best moments in NCAA Division I Men’s, Women’s Basketball Tournament
Upsets, buzzer beaters, and history-making dunks — relive some of the most exciting moments in March Madness history.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Reynoldsburg coach shifted from his NCAA Division I dream to an OHSAA dream season | Arace
Reynoldsburg High School is seeking its first OHSAA state boys basketball title Saturday night. Coach Andrew Moore is finding peace in the pursuit.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Bishop Walsh graduate calling games in NCAA tournament
CUMBERLAND — Bishop Walsh graduate Danny Reed will be a play-by-play radio announcer for Westwood One's coverage of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. Reed will call games for the ...Yahoo Sports - 1h -
I picked every game in March Madness bracket. Here's who wins 2025 NCAA Tournament | Estes
Take a peek at my March Madness bracket predictions and picks for every NCAA Tournament game from the First Four to the Final Four.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Michigan high school boys basketball: Top players in Division 1-4 state championship games
The Michigan boys basketball championship games took place on Saturday. Here were the standout players in all four divisions.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Sage Hill's comeback falls short in state Division I title loss to Carondelet
Amalia Holguin finished with 21 points as Sage Hill rallied from an early deficit only to fall late in the state Division I girls' basketball final.Yahoo Sports - 5d -
Tuesday's college roundup: Assumption men's basketball advances to NCAA Division 2 Elite Eight
Greyhounds, seeded sixth in an eight-team regional field, tops St. Thomas Aquinas in East final and is headed to national championships in Evansville, IndianaYahoo Sports - 1d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Uchenna Nwosu agrees to reworked deal with Seahawks
The Seahawks have some more cap space to work with as a result of an agreement with edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu on a revised contract.Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Jalen Brunson out of walking boot and doing light shooting
Steve Popper: ThibYahoo Sports - 17m -
Robert Williams III will miss four to six weeks with knee surgery
Chris Haynes: PortYahoo Sports - 17m
More in Sports
-
Follow live: Holder USMNT faces Panama in Nations League semifinal
nullESPN - 8m -
What to watch for in March internationals: Tuchel's England debut, Ronaldo goals, Poch's first big U.S. test
It's the first internationals of the year! There's lots happening as World Cup qualifying ramps up and European teams face off in the Nations League.ESPN - 10m -
Who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Who has qualified for the 2026 World Cup?
Yahoo Sports - 14m -
Uchenna Nwosu agrees to reworked deal with Seahawks
The Seahawks have some more cap space to work with as a result of an agreement with edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu on a revised contract.Yahoo Sports - 15m