The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

Carter Starocci of Penn State made history in 2025, becoming college wrestling's first five-time NCAA Division I champion.

Starocci defeated returning NCAA champion Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa to claim the NCAA title at 184 pounds. His first four national titles came at 174 pounds.

On Wednesday, Starocci was named 2025 NCAA Division I Wrestler of the Year by the Open Mat.

Starocci dominated his competition all season long. His season started at the NWCA All-Star Classic held at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State, where he faced Keckeisen in a battle of returning NCAA champions. Starocci prevailed in that meeting, getting a takedown in sudden victory to win 4-1. He won a title at the Black Knight Invitational, getting two pins and a technical fall.

During the regular season, Starocci registered bonus points in all but one match. The lone match he did not pick up bonus points was a 3-1 win over Iowa's Angelo Ferrari.

He defeated three 2025 All-Americans en route to winning the Big Ten title at 184 pounds. Starocci opened his tournament with an 18-1 technical fall over Indiana's D.J. Washington. He then cruised to a 10-2 major decision in the semifinals over Maryland's Jaxon Smith. In the finals, Starocci edged Minnesota's Max McEnelly in sudden victory, 4-1, giving the Gopher freshman his first college loss.

Starocci's run to his fifth national title started with a pair of technical falls on the opening day of the 2025 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. He then defeated Maryland's Smith by major decision for the second time in three weeks to secure his spot in the semifinals. Starocci advanced to the NCAA finals with a 9-3 semifinal win over Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott.

In the finals, Starocci won a hard-fought match over Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen, 4-3, to secure his fifth national championship. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event.

Starocci finished the season with a 26-0 record, which included 22 bonus-point victories. He surrendered just a single takedown all season. For his career, Starocci compiled a 25-0 record at the NCAAs and an overall record of 104-4.