COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sunday, 22 current and former Ohio State student-athletes will receive their degrees at Summer Commencement in the Schottenstein Center. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and will be streamed online here.
The 22 summer graduates join 209 current and former student-athletes who earned their Ohio State degrees at winter and spring commencement during the 2018-19 school year. At the annual Scholar-Athlete Dinner in April, 674 Buckeyes were recognized. A record 461 Buckeyes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades, with 131 named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
Among the student-athletes graduates are national and conference champions, All-Americans, academic standouts and professional athletes.
The list includes …
• Eric Brunner, a captain for the men’s soccer team that reached the NCAA championship game, who spent seven years playing in Major League Soccer and was the first Ohio State men’s soccer player to be chosen for the US Soccer team. Brunner, who finished his degree through the athletics department’s degree completion program, was a First Team All-American with the Buckeyes in 2007.
• Marrita Porter, a team captain for the Ohio State women’s basketball team in 1998-99, finished her bachelor’s degree through the Degree Completion Program. A two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection, Porter ranks in the Top 20 in school history in scoring, rebounding, free throws made and field goal percentage.
• Dakota Joshua was part of the men’s hockey team that captured the program’s first Big Ten regular season title in 2019 and reached the Frozen Four in 2018. An NCAA All-Regional Team selection and member of the Buckeyes’ Century Club with 100 career points, he signed an NHL entry level contract with the Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues this summer.
• Stephanie Thielemann, is an All-American synchronized swimmer who was a member of three straight national championship squads. She was part of the U.S. Collegiate Trio national championship team in 2019.
• Men’s swimmer Mossimo Chavez, a 2019 First Team All-American in the 200 free relay. A 2017 Big Ten champion in the 200 free relay, he earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 400 free relay in 2017 and ’18.
2019 Summer Commencement Student-Athlete Graduates
Cheer: Reinhardt, Maggie Human (Nutrition)
Baseball: Jourdan, Dustin (Sport Industry)
Football: Alexander, Aramis (Sport Industry)
Football: Arnette, Damon (Communication)
Football: Barrow, Malik (Communication)
Football: Fragel, Reid (Communication)
Football: Hill, Reneard (Communication)
Men’s Ice Hockey: Joshua, Dakota (Sport Industry)
Men’s Soccer: Brunner, Eric (Communication)
Men’s Soccer: Fitzpatrick, Benjamin (Sport Industry)
Men’s Swimming: Chavez, Mossimo (Sport Industry)
Men’s Swimming: Mortimer, Austin (Economics)
Men’s Volleyball: Leeson, Blake (Kinesiology – master’s)
Men’s Volleyball: Samarin, Aaron (Kinesiology – master’s)
Women’s Basketball: Miller, Adreana (Kinesiology – master’s)
Women’s Basketball: Porter, Marrita (Sport Industry)
Women’s Basketball: Queenland, Najah (Pharmacology -master’s)
Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field: Wiles, Claire (Operations Management)
Women’s Lacrosse: Conti, McKayla (Sport Industry)
Women’s Lacrosse: Postalwait, Gwendolyn (Hospitality Management)
Synchronized Swimming: Thielemann, Stephanie (Psychology)
Women’s Tennis: Dieters, Kelsey (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
