Eight Ohio State “Black Shirts” Open NCAA Championships Thursday
3/17/2022 9:00:06 AM | General, Wrestling
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Just 10. Well now 11. That’s the number of wrestlers who have earned the honor of wearing black inside the Jennings Wrestling Facility, the prestigious Ohio State “Black Shirts.”
Gavin Hoffman is the latest Buckeye to earn the honor. His efforts were recognized Monday, a day before the Buckeyes traveled to Detroit, Michigan, for the 2022 NCAA Championships. The tournament starts Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.
Beginning in 2019-20, all wrestlers began wearing gray in the Jennings when the facility first opened. Soon after one other color was allowed.
To wear black, wrestlers must display elite discipline, grit, selflessness and excellence and help the team become more conscious of making decisions that can prepare the program to rise to earn the privilege and distinction of wearing black.
Founded on the mindset and system of the Navy Seals’ DEVGRU, more commonly known as Seal Team Six, a member of the Black Shirts must outwardly display a deep love for what they do and be a tough, focused and driven individual.
If a Black Shirt recommendation is made by a member of the coaching staff, its status lives or dies by vote with the coaching staff and current Black Shirts.
Only an affirmative consensus can grant a black shirt—if it’s not a unanimous decision, it can’t go through.
“It’s not a feel-good award,” Tom Ryan, head coach of the Buckeyes, said. “We’re not going to give this to someone because they need a certificate. It tells the recipient (the other Black Shirts) value effort, toughness, body language, and being a warrior, and when you give that to somebody that earns it, I think it only encourages the rest of the team to think, ‘I can get that too.’”
Of Ohio State’s 11 Black Shirts all-time, nine are current Buckeyes.
Eight Ohio State wrestlers qualified for the 2022 NCAA Championships in Detroit and all eight are current Ohio State Black Shirts.
Current Black Shirts: Malik Heinselman (125), Dylan D’Emilio (141), Sammy Sasso (149), Carson Kharchla (165), Ethan Smith (174), Kaleb Romero (184), Gavin Hoffman (192) and Tate Orndorff (HWT) all begin their quest for a title Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.
Six of the Buckeyes in Detroit this week are returning NCAA participants. Two, Kharchla and Hoffman, are making their first appearance in the national championships.
Kharchla said the Black Shirt makes it easy to rationalize the effort and to realize the hard work was worth it.
“At the end of the day only 10 guys win a national title,” Kharchla said. “Only however many win conference titles, are all Americans, so (earning Black Shirt status) is something to show you, your hard work and dedication doesn’t go unnoticed, doesn’t go unrecognized.”
Romero, a senior making his third NCAA trip, said the leadership of Black Shirts like Kharchla and himself help guide the young wrestling Buckeyes and are incredibly important to the program’s culture.
“Just having someone to look up to and just being able to come into practice and (teammates) seeing us and being like ‘that’s how hard I want to work today,’ that’s important,” he said. “Being there and being that roadmap, being that role model for those younger guys, it’s awesome.”
The Ohio State Black Shirts
All Ohio State wrestlers training inside the Jennings Wrestling Facility began wearing gray shirts in 2019-20. Only those individuals deserving of elite distinction will be bestowed a ‘black shirt’ and earn the privilege of wearing black in The Jennings. Once donning a black shirt, a student-athlete then joins the coaching staff in determining future ‘black shirt worthy’ teammates.
Becoming a Black Shirt …
* Rewards those who are doing things that in our program are non-negotiable – J Jaggers.
*Nominees must receive unanimous approval from coaching staff and current “Black Shirts”
* Must outwardly display a deep love for what you do — elite discipline, grit, selflessness, excellence
* Help team become more conscious of making decisions that will help the team to the next level
26 NCAA Qualifiers
26 OSU Letterwinners
15 NWCA Scholar All-Americans
13 All-Americans
5 Big Ten Championships
5 All Big Ten Selections
4 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars
1 Big Ten Medal of Honor
1 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
1 InterMat Freshman of the Year
Noting the Black Shirts
Kollin Moore (197)
• Four-Time All-American (2017-20)
• Four-Time NCAA Qualifier (3rd, 4th, 2nd, 2020 canceled)
• Four-Year letterwinner (2017-20)
• Big Ten Medal of Honor (2020)
• Three Time Big Ten Champion (2017-18-20)
• Three-Time All-Big Ten (2017-18-20)
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2017)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2020)
• Undefeated in 2020 (27-0)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2019-20)
Luke Pletcher (133/141)
• Four Year letterwinner (2017-20)
• Three Time All-American (2018-20)
• Three-Time NCAA Qualifier (4th, 4th, 2020 canceled)
• Big Ten Champion (2020/141)
• All-Big Ten (2020)
• NWCA Scholar All-American
(2018-19-20)
Sammy Sasso (149)
• Two Year letterwinner (2020-21)
• Two Time All-American (2020-21)
• NCAA Qualifier (2020 canceled, 2021/2nd, 2022)
• Big Ten Champion (2021)
• Big Ten Runner Up (2020, 2022)
• All-Big Ten (2021)
• Freshman of the Year (2020, InterMat)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2020)
Ethan Smith (174)
• Three Year letterwinner (2019-21)
• Two Time All-American (2020-21)
• NCAA Qualifier (2020 canceled, 2021/5th, 2022)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2021)
Kaleb Romero (184)
• Three Year letterwinner (2019-21)
• All-American (2020)
• NCAA Qualifier (2020 Canceled,2021, 2022)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2021)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2019-20-21)
Malik Heinselman (125)
• Three Year letterwinner (2019-21)
• NCAA Qualifier (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2019-20-21)
Dylan D’Emilio (141)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2021)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2021)
• NCAA Qualifier (2021, 2022)
Carson Kharchla (165)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2021)
• OSU Scholar Athlete (2021)
• NCAA Qualifier (2022)
Tate Orndorff (Hwt)
• Letterwinner (2021)
• All-American (2021)
• NCAA Qualifier (2019, 2020, 2021/8th, 2022)
• NWCA Scholar All-American (2021)
Fritz Schierl (174)
• Four Year letterwinner (2018-21)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2021)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2018-21)
• OSU Scholar Athlete (2017-21)
Gavin Hoffman (197)
• Two-year letterwinner (2020, 2021)
• NCAA Qualifier (2022)
• Big Ten Championships (2021, 2022-8th, 3-5 record)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2020, 2021)
• OSU Scholar-Athlete (2019, 2020, 2021)
#GoBucks
Story by Gabe Burggraf
