March 30, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 49th Ohio State University Scholar-Athlete banquet was held Tuesday evening in the Archie M. Griffin Ballroom at the Ohio Union and among the record 561 Buckeyes from 36 sports earning OSU Scholar-Athlete status this year were 26 members of the football team.

Leading the way for the football program is two-time Academic All-American and National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Jacoby Boren, who was presented with the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Each of the 14 Big Ten member institutions selects one male and one female Medal of Honor recipient from those who have demonstrated athletic and academic excellence throughout their collegiate career.

Boren was a two-year starting center for the Buckeyes and played in 42 consecutive games. In addition to his national academic accolades, he was a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, a three-time academic all-Big Ten selection and this year marks his fifth OSU Scholar-Athlete honor. He graduates in May with his degree in sustainable plant systems.

Haynes also up for Big Ten Medal of Honor
Among the five males up for the Big Ten Medal of Honor was a second football player: Bryce Haynes. A three-year starting long-snapper for the Buckeyes, Haynes was awarded the Men’s Varsity O Scholarship Tuesday evening. He is a five-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a four-time academic all-Big Ten honoree and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.

Haynes, who has already graduated with his degree in biology, took his MCATS last summer and will be attending medical school in the fall. He spent three weeks in May 2015 conducting DNA research related to prostate cancer at Emory University in Atlanta. He won the Preston V. McMurry Scholar-Athlete Citizen Award in the spring of 2015. This award is presented by the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University.

Some additional news and notes regarding the football team scholar-athletes (scholar-athletes must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average):

• Braxton Miller, who already has his bachelor’s degree in communication, capped his Buckeye career with OSU Scholar-Athlete recognition.
• Joe Burger, who will be a fifth-year senior and who will become one of the few walk-ons ever to earn four Varsity O letters, earned scholar-athlete status for the fourth time after previously picking up his third academic all-Big Ten honor in December. He majors in industrial and systems engineering.
• OSU graduate Cam Williams (communication), now employed by the New England Patriots, earned his fourth scholar-athlete honor after also earning a third academic all-Big Ten honor last fall.
• Chase Farris was one of only 14 Ohio State student-athletes to have a 4.00 cumulative grade point average; this coming in the first year of his sport management master’s program.
• First-team Academic All-American Jack Willoughby also had a perfect, 4.00 GPA in his agricultural environmental and development economics master’s program.

2015-16 Football Scholar-Athletes
*Indicates 2015 Academic All-Big Ten honoree (must be a sophomore academically)

SAF Jarrod Barnes – graduate student from Westerville working on a master’s in sport management.
LB Kyle Berger – sophomore from Medina majoring in exercise science; 2nd award.
OL *Jacoby Boren – senior from Pickerington majoring in sustainable plant systems; 5th award.
LB *Joe Burger – senior from Cincinnati majoring in industrial and systems engineering; 4th award.
QB Joe Burrow – freshman from The Plains exploring majors.
SAF Michael Cibene – junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., majoring in logistics management; 3rd award.
WR Austin Clutter – freshman from Geneva majoring in exercise science.
QB Stephen Collier – junior from Leesburg, Ga., majoring in communication.
LB Nick Conner – freshman from Dublin exploring majors.
K Tyler Durbin – senior from Burke, Va., majoring in civil engineering.
OT *Chase Farris – graduate student from Elyria majoring in sport management.
TE Guy Ferrelli – junior from Galloway majoring in communication; 2nd award.
K Dominic Garris – sophomore from Lancaster majoring in finance.
SAF Elijaah Goins – junior from Columbus majoring in pharmaceutical sciences.
LS *Bryce Haynes – from Cumming, Ga., who has graduated with his degree in biology; 5th award.
DE *Sam Hubbard – junior from Cincinnati majoring in finance; 2nd award.
RB Ke’Von Huguely – freshman from Dayton majoring in criminology.
SAF Michael Lawless – junior from Dover majoring in exercise science; 2nd award.
H-B Braxton Miller – from Huber Heights and has graduated with his degree in communication.
WR *Kato Mitchell – senior from Cleveland majoring in sport industry; 2nd award.
K *Sean Nuernberger – junior from La Grange, Ky., majoring in computer & information science; 2nd award.
OL *Aaron Parry – senior from Zanesville majoring in biology; 2nd award.
WR Joe Ramstetter – junior from Cincinnati majoring in marketing.
LB *Cam Williams – from West Roxbury, Mass., and has graduated with his degree in communication; 4th award.
K *Jack Willoughby – graduate student from Lawrenceville, N.J., majoring in agricultural environmental and development economics.
OL Kevin Woidke – freshman from Avon Lake majoring in biology.