NCAA wrestler says 'faith' is key to Penn State's dominance
NCAA wrestler AJ Ferrari is known for speaking his mind.
The 23-year-old recently expressed his thoughts on Penn State's dominant run in wrestling.
"That is why Penn State is winning. What's the secret sauce?" Ferrari asked a group of reporters. "Faith. Four-time national champion Aaron Brooks… faith, domination. That's why these guys have a decade of domination… all there guys are strong believers."
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Ferrari added that Penn State wrestlers do not just talk the talk, they also walk the walk.
"They don't just say it, they live it. You can say what you want about (Penn State wrestling coach) Cael Sanderson, you can say what you want about Cody Sanderson … and I'm not even looking to transfer there, but they've got real authentic faith. And that's what matters."
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Ferrari defeated Michigan's Jacob Cardenas in the 197-pound class consolation final at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championship this past Saturday.
He also addressed some of the criticism he had faced, suggesting some people did not appreciate his authenticity.
"And that's what people don't like about me, they don't like the fact that I'm real. They don't like the fact that if I don't like what you're doing I'll call you out on it. Because I’m not the teammate you want, I'm the teammate you need. … Growing up my dad taught us to embrace adversity. He taught us to embrace the terrible times."
President Donald Trump attended the wrestling championships in Philadelphia over the weekend. Moments after becoming the first five-time wrestling champion in NCAA history, Penn State wrestling superstar Carter Starocci made a beeline for Trump. He shook the president's hand and snapped a photo with him.
On Monday, Starocci shared details of his mat-side conversation with Trump.
"When I heard he was coming, I kind of figured I was going to go over there and say a few words to my man because I met him before, so having him in the house is always special," he told Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends."
Starocci defeated Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen, 4-3, to win the 184-pound championship and his fifth NCAA title.
Ferrari appears to have a rivalry with Starocci. The two wrestlers engaged in a heated exchange on social media last September.
Ferrari previously competed with the Oklahoma State wrestling team, but he left the school in 2022 amid a sexual assault investigation. The case was later dismissed.
Fox News' Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
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