Buckeye Nation,
As we close out the 2024–2025 academic year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for what has been a transformative year for Ohio State Athletics. This past year has been defined by excellence, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the development of our student-athletes.
Our Buckeyes have once again demonstrated what it means to be champions in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. We celebrated 805 scholar-athletes, with a student-athlete cumulative GPA of 3.40. Our Academic Progress Rate (APR) remains among the best in the nation at 990, with seven programs earning a perfect 1,000. 97% of 2024-2025 graduates have accepted a job, been accepted to graduate school, or are playing professionally. These achievements reflect the culture of academic excellence and support that defines our department.
On the field, court, track, and ice, our teams delivered thrilling performances and brought pride to Buckeye Nation. From postseason runs to individual national titles, our student-athletes competed with heart and honor. This review highlights those moments and the relentless pursuit of greatness that drives us all.
My first year as a Buckeye has been nothing short of extraordinary. I am deeply grateful to our student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, and fans who welcomed me so warmly and helped make this year so special. Your passion, dedication, and support have made a lasting impression and reaffirmed why Ohio State is such a remarkable place.
As we look ahead, I’m excited about the momentum we’ve built together. The energy surrounding Buckeye Nation is powerful, and I’m eager to see what the future holds. Thank you for believing in our mission and for standing with us every step of the way. Together, we will continue to shape champions and leaders who make a meaningful impact in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.
Go Buckeyes!
Ross Bjork
Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director
Athletics Success
4 Team National Championships
6 Individual National Champions
8 Team Conference Championships
13 Individual Conference Champions
59 All-Americans
National Champions
Football
The Ohio State football team completed a historic run through the 2024 College Football Playoff to win the program's second National Championship in the CFP era. Winning all four playoff matchups by double digits, the team’s resilience, growth and unity cemented its place as national champions and one of the best teams in college football history.
Ohio State capped off its 2024 season with a thrilling 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship, securing the program’s ninth national title and first under Ryan Day.
Pistol
For the fifth year in a row, the pistol national championship will reside in Columbus, Ohio. That's because Head Coach Emil Milev and the Ohio State Buckeyes won both the sport pistol and air pistol events to claim the team title at this year's championships in Anniston, Alabama.
The overall individual aggregate winner was Ohio State's Marcus Klemp, who had a final score of 1140. He finished second in the air pistol competition (572) and the sport pistol competition (568). Teammate Blaine Simpson was third overall, with a seventh-place showing in the air pistol and first-place performance in the sport pistol (569).
Spirit
The Ohio State spirit team (comprised of cheer, dance and Brutus) was crowned the D1A national champions in Orlando, Florida.
The spirit national title came thanks to an event score of 98.45, which was nearly four points better than runner-up Mississippi. Oklahoma, UMass and Louisiana-Lafayette rounded out the top five. The Buckeyes also had the best score in the semifinals (95.10).
Dance
The Ohio State dance team took home top honors in D1A jazz. The Buckeyes' national title in D1A jazz continues a winning tradition that is unmatched. In five of the last six years, they've won at least one championship at nationals.
In the finals, the Buckeyes finished with a score of 98.9206, which topped second-place Minnesota at 98.4286. Ohio State and Minnesota also finished first and second, respectively, in the semifinals. The team was also runner-up in the D1A pom competition.
Ruby Remati
Rikki Evans
Artistic Swimming
At the US Collegiate National Championships in March, the Buckeyes earned two individual national titles in the technical competition with Ruby Remati finishing first in A Figures and Rikki Evans taking first in B Figures. The title is Remati's second of her career in figures, and the first for Evans.
Jesse Mendez
Wrestling
Junior Jesse Mendez won his second-consecutive NCAA Championship at 141 pounds with a 12-9 win over Brock Hardy of Nebraska at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. As the No. 3 seed, Mendez defended his 2024 National Title after reaching the 2025 title match with a win over No. 2 seed Beau Bartlett in the semifinals.
Conference Champions
Men's Tennis
Ohio State men’s tennis capped off a dominant 2025 regular season by winning its 19th consecutive Big Ten regular season championship, extending one of the longest title streaks in conference history. The Buckeyes went a perfect 12-0 in Big Ten play, capped off by a title-clinching 4-0 win against Indiana. Under the leadership of Head Coach Ty Tucker, Ohio State also extended its Big Ten win streak to 46 matches, dating back to 2021.
Women's Tennis
In a match that came down to a third set on court four, the No. 9-ranked Ohio State women's tennis team prevailed 4-3 in the Big Ten Tournament championship against No. 3 Michigan. The tournament was played at Libby Park in Ojai, California, with the final, that took more than three and a half hours, ending under the lights. The tournament title is the fourth in Buckeye history. Ohio State was playing in the Big Ten Tournament final for the fifth year in a row.
Men's Lacrosse
It was a historic year for the Buckeye men's lacrosse program. The Ohio State men's lacrosse team secured the Big Ten regular season championship for the first time in program history on April 19th, with a 10-8 win over Michigan. They then went on to win the Big Ten Tournament title on May 3, defeating Maryland 14-10, marking the first Big Ten Tournament championship for the program as well.
Women's Swimming and Diving
The Ohio State women's swimming and diving team won the 2025 Big Ten Championships for the fifth time in six years, finishing with 1,313.5 points. This victory marked their 10th conference title in program history. The championship was held at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion over four days. The Buckeyes won 11 total medals throughout the course of the championships to lead them to the title.
Men's Soccer
The men's soccer team had a historic season. They captured the Big Ten regular season championship with a 2-1 win at No. 10 ranked Maryland to finish with a 7-1-2 record. The No. 1 seed Buckeyes hosted the Big Ten Tournament where they defeated No. 7 Michigan in the title game to win the 2024 Big Ten Tournament title at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The attendance of 8,938 set an Ohio State record at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes got a second half goal from senior Parker Grinstead and the Ohio State defense shut out the Wolverines to secure the fourth league tournament title in program history.
Women's Fencing
The Ohio State women's fencing team claimed the 2025 Central Collegiate Fencing Conference championship in Detroit. The women won their fourth crown and third outright since the league's inaugural season in 2021 with a 6-0 mark. The women captured the foil crown for the fourth straight year. The women were second in sabre and third in epee.
The women won all three individual events – Dasha Myroniuk earned her third CCFC title in the foil, while Gloria Klughardt and Natalia Botello both captured championships in their first conference meet in the epee and sabre respectively.
Men's Fencing
The Ohio State men's fencing team claimed the 2025 Central Collegiate Fencing Conference championships in Detroit. The men captured their fifth team title in a row with a 4-0 record. The men won all three weapon championships for the second year in a row. Men's foil and epee are the outright champs for the fourth consecutive year and shared the title in 2021, while sabre won its fourth crown (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025). Nolan Williams and Justin Vogler were men's gold medalists in the sabre and foil respectively.
Ohio State Athletes of the Year
Makenna Webster
Field Hockey & Women's Ice Hockey
Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year
Webster led the field hockey team in 2024 with 42 points, becoming the first Buckeye in nearly 30 years to record back-to-back 40 point seasons. The 2025 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner's efforts lifted Ohio State to national rankings as high as third and a 14-5 overall record. Webster finished the season sixth nationally in points per game and became the 11th player to record 100 career points, doing it in just three seasons. She was a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honoree and ended the year as a Second Team All-America selection.
On the ice, Webster finished fourth on the women's hockey team with 35 points despite only skating in 30 games as she split time with field hockey. She was in the top 15 nationally in assists and points per game and recorded 2.00 points per game in the Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament run which resulted in the team's fourth straight national title game appearance.
Michael Adedokun
Men's Soccer
Ohio State male Athlete of the Year
Adedokun made Ohio State men's soccer history in 2024 by becoming the first Buckeye to win the MAC Hermann Trophy, the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer. The USC First Team All-American led the team and conference with 11 goals, 11 assists and 33 points. He helped the team to a 16-2-4 season which culminated in the program's second appearance in the College Cup.
Adedokun helped the Buckeyes earn the program's first No. 1 national ranking and first overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The team also won the 2024 Big Ten tournament and a share of the regular season title. Adedokun, a First Team All-Big Ten honoree, was voted the league's Midfielder of the Year.
Coaches of the Year
Steve Rohlik
B1G Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year
This is the third Big Ten Coach of the Year award for Rohlik, who was also recognized in 2018 and '19. He matches Minnesota's Bob Motzko (2020, '22, '23) for the most COTY awards in B1G history. This season, Rohlik led the Buckeyes, who were picked to finish last in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll, to a third-place finish in the league with a 14-9-1 3-2-0 record, tying the school record for most B1G wins in a season.
Brian Maisonneuve
B1G Men's Soccer Coach of the Year
Brian Maisonneuve, in his seventh season in Columbus, was named the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Buckeyes to the 2024 Big Ten Regular-Season title and a Big Ten Tournament title. Ohio State finished with a 7-1-2 record in conference play during the regular season.
Nick Myers
B1G Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year
Head coach Nick Myers was named the league's Coach of the Year by unanimous vote. He led the Buckeyes to their first Big Ten regular season and tournament titles with a program record four Big Ten regular season wins and three more in the conference tournament. Under his guidance, the team finished the regular season 12-2 with wins over three of last year's Final Four teams. The award is his second of his career, earning a share of the honor in 2018.
Ty Tucker
B1G Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
Ty Tucker's reign at the top of the Big Ten continued again this season. Coach Tucker been named Coach of the Year for the record 18th time. He led the Buckeyes to a 13-0 B1G record and a 19th consecutive title. Since the consecutive title streak started in 2006, Ohio State is a remarkable 201-2 in conference play.
Elvis Gregory Gil
CCFC Women's Fencing Assistant Coach of the Year
Elvis Gregory Gil of the Ohio State fencing program has been selected as the CCFC Women's Team Assistant Coach of the Year, the Central Collegiate Fencing Conference announced. Gregory is in his sixth year on the Ohio State staff. He has guided the men's foil squad to the conference title each year he has been on staff, with the men also winning all six overall league championships, and the women have captured the last four foil squad titles and five overall women's team trophies. Ohio State has had 19 foil fencers qualify for the NCAA Championships during his tenure, combining for 11 All-America honors.
Softball Coaching Staff
Division I Coaching Staff of the Year
The Buckeyes' coaching staff, consisting of head coach Kirin Kumar and assistant coaches Matthew Guemmer and Courtney Vierstra, took home Coaching Staff of the Year honors. They led the Buckeyes to an outstanding 45-14-1 overall record which is the most wins in a season since 2009. Their guidance led them to the Knoxville Regional Final of the NCAA tournament.
Men's Soccer Coaching Staff
Division I Coaching Staff of the Year
The Ohio State coaches and support staff were named the United Soccer Coaches 2024 Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year. Head Coach, Brian Maisonneuve, and assistants Travis Morris, Matt Foldesy, Corey Brueggeman, program assistant Devyn Etling, athletic trainer Pat Brayfield and strength and conditioning coach Rebecca Freiburger all shared in the honor. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 1 nationally over the final several weeks of the regular seasons, advanced to the 2024 College Cup, won the Big Ten Tournament and shared the league regular-season title.
Other Notable Athletic Highlights
Women's Golf Excels On and Off the Course
The Ohio State women's golf team punched its ticket to the NCAA Championships with a third-place finish at the NCAA Columbus Regional at the OSU Scarlet Course. This was Ohio State's first trip to the NCAA Championships since 2018. The Buckeyes carded a five-under 283 in the final round of play to finish with a 54-hole score of 865 (+1). Faith Choi and Nellie Ong finished tied for sixth place, both carding a three-round score of 215 (-1).
Junior Kary Hollenbaugh was named a Golfweek First Team All-American. Hollenbaugh had an outstanding junior campaign, picking up four tournament wins to tie the program record for wins in a single season. At the Big Ten Championships, Hollenbaugh tied for second place to win a silver medal. She also competed in the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, and the Augusta National Women's Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club.
Senior Faith Choi was presented with the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the NCAA Championships.The award recognizes the student athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average who has reached the finals for each of the NCAA's 90 men's and women's championships across its three divisions. Choi is the first-ever Ohio State women's golfer to win the award. She is the 10th Ohio State student-athlete to earn the Elite 90 Award.
Softball's Offensive Dominance
The Buckeyes offense had an outstanding season to say the least. The team led the nation in nearly every offensive category. These Included:
Home Runs (147)*
Slugging Percentage (.701)
Runs Scored (495)
Walks (280)**
Runs per Game (8.25)
First Team in NCAA history to have four players with 20+ home runs
Eight All-Region Selections**
*Big Ten and program record
** Program record
Academic Success
990 APR (Academic Progress Rate) Score
Seven programs earned perfect multi-year APR scores, and another 12 posted scores of 990 or higher. Ohio State football is the only Division I football program with a perfect multi-year APR of 1,000.
805 Ohio State Scholar-Athletes
Student-Athletes qualify as a scholar-athlete by obtaining a 3.0 GPA or above.
3.40 Average Student-Athlete GPA
All 36 teams surpassed the 3.0 GPA benchmark, with our department achieving a record-high cumulative GPA of 3.40 for all student-athletes.
506 Academic All-Big Ten Selections
44 National Academic Honors
Highest Large Team GPA: Women's Ice Hockey
Highest Small Team GPA: Women's Golf
212 Student-Athletes received their degree in the spring of 2025
Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute
By The Numbers
151 Dress to Impress Participants
143 Live Life Sessions
44 Bucks Go Pro 2.0 Participants
40 Bucks Go Pro 1.0 Participants
Next Steps
Joining The Workforce
Maddy Yuzwa: Maddy has been a member of the cheer team for the last four years. Helping lead them to back-to-back National Championships in the Spirit Program Gameday Division. She recently accepted a full-time offer at Depuy Synthes after connecting with them at the annual Career x NIL Expo.
Charlie Huth: Charlie recently graduated from the Ohio State spirit program. Serving as Brutus for the last few years, Charlie has had the opportunity to impact Buckeye fans all around the world. Charlie accepted a full-time offer with Elford as an Assistant Project Manager after interning with them for several summers during his time as a Buckeye.
Playing Professionally
Taylor Thierry: Taylor was a crucial part of the recent success of the Ohio State women's basketball program. She helped the Buckeyes to a pair of regular season Big Ten titles (co-champions in 2021-22 and sole champions in 2023-24). Taylor was also a two-time All-Big Ten defensive selection. She concluded her collegiate career having averaged 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds and finished in the top five in school history with a field goal percentage of 59.7%. She was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the 37th pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, and is currently in her first season.
Emeka Egbuka: Emeka played four seasons at Ohio State, where he became the all-time leader in receptions with 205. He was named a team captain in 2024 and led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2025. He is another name in the long lineage of great wide receivers at Ohio State. Emeka was selected in the first round (19th overall) by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That made it four straight years an Ohio State wide receiver was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Attending Graduate School
Megan O'Connor: Megan just finished her fourth season with the Ohio State rowing program. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy, and a minor in Political Science. While balancing a rigorous course load and athletic schedule, Megan also managed to serve as the undergraduate student delegate on The Ohio State University Foundation Board. Megan was accepted to the University of Dayton Law program and will begin there this fall.
Taji Flynn: Taji is a member of the Big Ten champion, Ohio State men's lacrosse team. He graduated this past spring a Bachelor of Science in Marketing through the Fisher College of Business. Following graduation, he was accepted to the Ohio State Masters of Sport Management program, and will be returning to the men's lacrosse team to play for his 5th season.
Name, Image, and Likeness
As the college athletics landscape continues to evolve, Ohio State continues to be a trailblazer the rest of the country looks to. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is certainly one of those. NIL has provided many positive benefits, to student-athletes and the community. By allowing student-athletes to profit from their personal brand, NIL empowers athletes to take control of their public image and earn income through sponsorships, endorsements, and social media partnerships. This financial support can be crucial for covering education and living expenses, and even helping their families. NIL also fosters entrepreneurship, encouraging athletes to develop business skills and explore creative ventures.
Since July of 2021 when NIL was introduced to college athletics, Ohio State student-athletes have participated in over 5,500 Name, Image, and Likeness deals.
Buckeyes Excel at the 2024 Olympics
The contingent of Buckeyes, comprised of 24 incoming, current and former student-athletes, that competed in Paris were responsible for a number of milestones and medal performances for their respective countries.
Buckeye Olympic Medalists – One Gold | Two Silver | Two Bronze
Hunter Armstrong finished his second Olympic Games with two medals. In his first race of the games, he won gold with Team USA's men's 4x100 freestyle relay. He swam the fastest split of the team, touching the wall in 46.75, to help bring home the United States' first gold of the Olympics. He also won silver in the men's 4x100 medley relay. He swam the freestyle anchor leg, turning in a split of 47.19 to help the team to a 3:28.01 finish.
Buckeye artistic swimmers Keana Hunter and Ruby Remati helped the United States take home silver in the team event. The medal is the team's first in the category since 2004 and the team's best result since 1996.
Canadian foil fencer Eleanor Harvey became the first individual Olympic medalist in both Ohio State and Canadian fencing history. Competing in her third Games, she worked her way through the table to the semifinals before falling to eventual gold medalist Lauren Scruggs, 15-9. In the bronze medal match, Harvey defeated Italy's Alice Volpi, 15-12, for the medal.
Maximilien Chastanet helped France's men's foil team win bronze. He is the third Buckeye fencer to win a team Olympic medal and first since 2008. Chastanet started as an alternate for France but was inserted into the lineup during the quarterfinal match against China. In the bronze medal match, Chastanet was 2-0-1 to help clinch the medal.
Forbes 30 Under 30 Columbus
Forbes announced the 30 Under 30 Local Columbus Class of 2025 on Thursday with five Ohio State current or former student-athletes making the list – Caleb Downs, Hunter Armstrong, Emeka Egbuka, Will Howard, and Amani Kimball-McKavish.
Click below to see the full list on the Forbes website!
Circle of Care Highlight
Nathan Demian - Wilma Rudolph NACDA Award
The N4A Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award honors student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics.
Nathan's story is a testament to his strength, courage, and positive outlook on life. It is also a testament to the Circle of Care our student-athletes have access to here at Ohio State. Nathan has every resource necessary to help make a comeback to soccer and be the dynamic player he was before the tragedy.
Folds of Honor Bag
The Ohio State golf program has once again dedicated its season to honoring the legacy of fallen and disabled military members through the Folds of Honor program. Head Women's Coach Lisa Strom has participated in the Folds of Honor program throughout her career and introduced the program to Ohio State. This year, the men's and women's team honored Technical Sergeant Anthony Campbell. Sergeant Campbell was a member of the Ohio National Guard and Air Force Reserve. He died in 2009 while deactivating an enemy device in Afghanistan. Players from the programs take turns carrying the bag throughout the season in each competition to honor his sacrifice, including the NCAA Championships and at the Women's US Open.
Carrell Competes in President’s Buckeye Accelerator Finale
Ohio State baseball graduate student Luke Carrell and his startup company, Side Coach Sports, competed at the President's Buckeye Accelerator Finale on Wednesday, April 2. The President's Buckeye Accelerator supports student entrepreneurs preparing a startup for launch. The accelerator combines entrepreneurship skill building, deep mentorship, community, and funding with a structured process. Earlier this year, Carrell finished in second place at the Best of Student Startups competition and won $10,000 toward his venture.
NHL Stadium Series
On March 1, the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 in front of 94,751 at historic Ohio Stadium in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game. This was the second largest crowd to ever attend an NHL game in the league's history.
The event was a celebration of hockey in Columbus mixed with Ohio State football gameday traditions. Skull session, script Ohio, and the victory bell were part of this night of hockey at historic Ohio Stadium.
FC Series
In the August 3, 2024 friendly match at historic Ohio Stadium, Manchester City defeated Chelsea 4-2. The crowd of 71,280 saw Erling Haaland score a hat trick for Manchester City. That attendance number is a record for the FC Series as well as any Manchester City and Chelsea preseason tour.
As we close another unforgettable year in Ohio State Athletics, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to you, Buckeye Nation. Your unwavering support, unmatched energy, and deep-rooted pride make you the best fans in the country. Whether it's a packed stadium on campus, a road game, or a simple "O-H!" shouted across the world, your passion lifts us higher every single day. We look forward to seeing you back on campus in the fall to support our Buckeyes, and continue to be the best fans.
Go Bucks!
If you need an accessible version of this page, please reach out to the Buckeye Club at buckeyeclub@osu.edu