COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nicole Ferrara, Chloë Johnson and Ava Keethler of the Ohio State women’s lacrosse team have all been selected Big Ten Players to Watch as the 2023 season nears, the conference announced Wednesday.
Ferrara, a senior who plays attack and is from Morristown, N.J., is in her second year as a captain for the Buckeyes. She was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection last season after leading Ohio State with 21 assists and 52 points, ranking second with 31 goals. She crossed the 100-point mark for her career in the final game of 2022 and has 69 goals, 35 assists and 104 points in 37 games, with 29 starts, in the Scarlet and Gray. Ferrara is a three-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree, as well as an IWLCA Honor Roll selection.
Johnson, a fifth-year senior and native of Derwood, Md., who plays attack, was an IWLCA West/Midwest All-Region First Team selection as a draw specialist and a Second Team All-Big Ten honoree last year. She has seen action in 53 games in the Scarlet and Gray and is third in school history with 209 draw controls, along with 48 goals, 11 assists and 59 points. Her 124 draw controls in 2022 set the Ohio State single-season record and marked the first time a Buckeye had more than 100 in a single year. She had a career-best 24 goals, five assists and 29 points last season.
Keethler, a graduate student from Upper Arlington, Ohio, earned Second Team All-Big Ten accolades last season in her first year as a starter on defense for the Buckeyes. She had 14 ground balls, a draw control and seven caused turnovers while starting all 16 games. Keethler earned her bachelor’s degree in health sciences in Spring 2022 and is a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-Big Ten selection and Ohio State Scholar-Athlete, as well as a two-time selection to the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll.
The Buckeyes start their spring schedule with a scrimmage at Vanderbilt Saturday. The regular season begins the following week, as Ohio State will host Robert Morris at 3 p.m. Feb. 10 and Temple at noon Feb. 12. Home games will be in the new Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium, with free admission and parking. FULL SCHEDULE
