“Dismissing a victim's credibility is the first step in silencing them” - Beau Bartlett criticises journalist amidst Carter Starocci controversy

Beau Bartlett and Carter Starocci are currently embroiled in controversy, with the latter facing accusations of sexual assault and theft. Recently, Bartlett lashed out at a journalist for ‘name calling’ as he broke his silence about the matter.

Fans first began speculating about issues in the PSU wrestling camp a few weeks ago, when it was rumoured that Starocci was under investigation for theft. At the same time, Bartlett’s wife Syd Erin had alleged that the five-time national champion had ‘violated several of his teammates’. A few days ago, multiple anonymous women, an anonymous former PSU wrestler, and Bartlett accused Starocci of sexual and physical misconduct, with one victim alleging the PSU star had raped her twice in his home.

Most recently, Beau Bartlett shared his opinion on the situation while responding to certain statements made by journalist Christian Pyles. The wrestler wrote on X,

“I was hesitant to share my experiences publicly because of the backlash. While the response has been overwhelmingly supportive, a clip from your show today compelled me to say something. As a journalist, it's unprofessional to resort to name-calling. Dismissing a victim's credibility is often the first step in silencing them, which is why many choose to remain anonymous when sharing their experiences.”

He went on to add that the accusations levelled were not a result of prior personal issues, writing,

“The "axe" we had to grind came from harassment, theft, and the lack of accountability that followed by all of the other parties involved, not from any prior personal issues. Some people might be divided thinking they have to choose a side. Let me be clear: The sides are not me vs. anyone else. The sides are wanting more information uncovered and misconduct within the sport to be eradicated vs. remaining silent in hopes that all of this goes away.”

Beau Bartlett accuses Carter Starocci of taking explicit photos

Bartlett at the NCAA Championships (Image Source: Getty)

Amongst the several accusations levelled against Carter Starocci, Beau Bartlett alleged that the five-time national champion had taken explicit photos of him without permission. Talking to The Daily Collegian, Bartlett said,

“I walked out of the shower to a snapshot from (Starocci) of me, naked. The team had a snapchat group chat that he filled with those kinds of pictures of teammates.”

Beau Bartlett joined Penn State University in 2021. In his five years with the team, he won two national championships bronze medals and once NCAA silver. In 2025, after wrapping up his fifth year with PSU, the wrestler opted to join the New York City RTC instead of the Nittany Lions Wrestling Club.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya