Athletics Good Stuff – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
June 10, 2004
The track and field team began competition today at the 2004NCAA Outdoor Championships at the University of Texas at Austin.Nine Buckeyes will compete for national titles and All-Americahonors in the season-ending event at UT’s Myers Stadium. The eventruns through Saturday evening.
Several Buckeyes enter the championships possessing top marks in the country. Senior hurdler Joel Brown heads to nationals with the No. 1 time in the country in the men’s 110-meter hurdles at 13.45. Also boasting a top time in the NCAA is junior distance man Aaron Fisher, who clocked an 8:37.33 earlier this season in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Seven-time All-American and two-time indoor national champ Dan Taylor will compete in two events as the No. 2-ranked shot putter in the country and No. 4 rated hammer thrower. Last Saturday, senior Rob Myers upped his seeding time in the 1,500-meter run with a season-best 3:40.27 as he heads to the national meet. Fellow distance runner Brian Olinger joins Fisher as a NCAA qualifier in the steeple. Brown and Taylor claimed outdoor All-America in the hurdles and shot put in 2003, respectively.
The women’s contingent is led by Big Ten record holder Keturah Lofton, who bested her own conference and school mark to claim regional runner-up in the hammer two weeks ago and qualify for her first trip to outdoor nationals. Junior Rosalind Goodwin also makes her first appearance at the NCAA meet, where she will compete in both the long jump and triple jump. Also vying for honors in multiple events is sophomore thrower Amarachi Ukabam, who claimed Top 3 standings in both the discus and shot put at regionals. On the track, senior Molly Logan will look to close out her career with a strong performance in the 100-meter hurdles. Ukabam and Logan are competing in their second national meet in the last two seasons.
Three rowers were named to the sixth annual 2004 All-Americafirst and second teams by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association(CRCA). Senior Tatiana Grigorieva (Moscow, Russia) and junior DianaAlbrecht (Dresden, Germany) were All-America first-team honorees,while freshman Annabelle Fago (Giessen, Germany) receivedsecond-team accolades. All three were members of the Buckeyes’first varsity eight, which was ranked No. 1 nationally for fiveconsecutive weeks and finished fifth at the NCAA championships.Four baseball Buckeyes were taken in the 50-round First Year PlayerDraft held Monday and Tuesday by Major League Baseball. ScottLewis, a third-round pick by the Cleveland Indians (77th overallpick), Drew Anderson, a 13th-round selection by the Cincinnati Reds(378th overall) Josh Newman improved his draft status by returningto Ohio State for his senior season. After getting picked in the30th round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2003, the Colorado Rockiespicked him in the 19th round this year (560th overall). TrentLuyster was the last Buckeye taken in the draft, going to theChicago Cubs in the 39th round (1,176th overall). The four picksfrom Ohio State this season are the most since four Buckeyes wereselected in 2002, the year Nick Swisher was the highest selectionin school history, going to the Oakland Athletics as the 17thoverall pick. Student-athletes from 28 Ohio State varsity teamswere chosen by the OSU strength and conditioning staff as membersof the 2003-04 Buckeye Power Club. The award is given annually toone or more student athletes from each team who exemplify specificqualities in the weight room. Leadership ability, work ethic,winning attitude, attendance and above average ability to followinstructions are among the five-point criteria of the award. Eachathlete chosen is eligible for National Strength and ConditioningAll America honors next year.
2004 Ohio State Buckeye Power Club Awards
| Men’s | |
| Basketball | Terence Dials/Matt Marinchick |
| Baseball | Tony Kennedy |
| Cheerleading | Bob Haglage |
| Fencing | Craig Galanter |
| Golf | Nate Strong |
| Hockey | Dave Caruso |
| Lacrosse | John Dauro |
| Soccer | Jim Fisher |
| Swimming & Diving | Robert Kauscher |
| Tennis | Jeremy Wurtzman |
| Track & Field/XC | Gerald Griffin |
| Volleyball | Scott Spurlock |
| Wrestling | Brent Billett |
| Women’s | |
| Basketball | Caity Matter |
| Cheerleading | Jaclyn Burke |
| Crew Varsity & Novice | DiDi Albrecht/Kate Neely |
| Field Hockey | Katelin Condon |
| Golf | Erin Boroweic |
| Gymnastics | Jennifer Lymanstall |
| Hockey | Jeni Creary |
| Lacrosse | Kathryn Kozlakowski |
| Soccer | Erica Nollen |
| Softball | Natalie Hales |
| Synchronize Swimming | Lauren Marsh |
| Swimming & Diving | Ashley Barnes |
| Tennis | Meredith Vincent |
| Track & Field/XC | Jenna Harris /Ashley Vannatta |
| Volleyball | Stacey Gordon/Jackie Schardt |
Gymnasts Ronald Ferris and Randy Monahan concludedcompetition at the 2004 Visa U.S. Championships held June 2-5 inNashville, Tenn. Competing amongst the top male gymnasts in thecountry, Ferris and Monahan finished 16th and 17th, respectively.Paul Hamm, who trains with head coach Miles Avery at the SteelwoodAthletic Facility in Columbus, Ohio, captured his third consecutiveU.S. championships senior all-around title. Also training withAvery, former Buckeye Raj Bhavsar, and Morgan Hamm remained membersof the U.S. senior national team by finishing in the Top 14.Bhavsar claimed the rings title, scoring a 9.8. In addition to hisall-around crown, Paul Hamm won floor (9.850) and high bar (9.825).As members of the U.S. national team, Bhavsar, and Morgan and PaulHamm receive automatic bids to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team TrialsJune 24-27 in Anaheim, Calif. Three Ohio State publications havebeen honored by the College Sports Information Directors of Americain its annual publications contest. The football gameday program,by Greg Aylsworth, Diana Sabau and Todd Lamb, was first in thenation. The football media guide, by Steve Snapp, Aylsworth andSabau, was third in the nation and first in district four. Thewomen’s volleyball media guide, by D.C. Koehl and Aylsworth, wassecond in district four. The softball squad celebrated the 2004season at the team’s annual awards banquet Sunday evening in theOhio Stadium Recruiting Room. The Buckeyes, who finished the seasonwith a 35-25 overall record, an 8-11 Big Ten mark and trips to theBig Ten and NCAA postseason tournaments, awarded 12 annualaccolades for athletic and academic achievement throughout the 2004season to 10 student-athletes and said goodbye to the winningestclass in Ohio State history (162 career victories): Kristi DeVries,Beth McAbier and Breana Pozzi.
2004 Ohio State Softball Award Winners:
Offensive Player of the Year: Karisa Evans
Defensive Player of the Year: Nycole Koyano
Pitcher of the Year: Kristi DeVries
Most Valuable Player: Kristi DeVries
Most Improved Player of the Year: Chelsea Baker
Buckeye Spirit Award: Natalie Hales and Christina Douglas
Rookie of the Year: Jamee Juarez
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Andrea Tribuzi
Most Improved Scholar-Athlete: Ashley Cutcliff
Coaches’ Award: Meghan Rowlands
Buckeye Power Club Award: Natalie Hales
