Mark Balen (2010) | Hall of Fame Inductees

Mark Balen

Induction:
2010

Men’s Golf 1976-79

Mark Balen is one of just three Buckeyes to earn four All-America honors, while also collecting three first team All-Big Ten selections. He helped lead the Buckeyes to four-consecutive Big Ten championships and three Top 10 NCAA championship finishes, capped off with a national championship his senior season. In 1979, Balen was selected to the prestigious Walker Cup team. He ranks sixth on the Ohio State individual tournament wins list with five in his career. He was the Big Ten individual champion in 1977 and won the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate his freshman season of 1976. In that freshman campaign, Balen won the Les Bolstad Award for the Big Ten’s lowest stroke average. Balen joins coach Jim Brown (91), John Cook (1986) and Joey Sindelar (1992) from the 1979 NCAA championship squad as inductees into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. Balen pursued a professional career after his time at Ohio State and has continued to play on the Champions Tour.