Athletics Good Stuff – Ohio State Buckeyes
8/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
Athletics
The Department of Athletics announced Aug. 15 the donation of an additional $4 million to the renovation of The Ohio State University’s William Oxley Thompson Memorial (Main) Library, the largest academic building project in Ohio State’s history. The Department of Athletics total donation is $9 million after committing $5 million in September 2006.
Fifteen former and current student-athletes received their degrees at summer commencement ceremonies Aug. 24 in the Schottenstein Center. Among the graduates were former men’s basketball player Ivan Harris, men’s tennis player Devin Mullings, men’s soccer goalkeeper Casey Latchem, wrestler T.J. Enright and track athlete Jenna Griffin.
2008 Olympics
A total of seven former and current Buckeyes, as well as an alum, earned medals at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing Aug. 8-24.
Men’s Basketball: Michael Redd – Gold
Women’s Basketball: Katie Smith – Gold
Fencing (Team Sabre): Jason Rogers – Silver
Fencing (Team Foil): Hanna Thompson – Silver
Men’s Gymnastics (Team): Raj Bhavsar and Miles Avery (assistant coach) – Bronze
Rowing (Men’s Eight): *Bryan Volpenhein – Bronze
* Volpenhein rowed for the Ohio State men’s rowing club team
Women’s Basketball
Head Coach: Jim Foster
Columbus has been named a finalist to host a Women’s Final Four between 2012 and 2016, the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced Aug. 13. The Ohio State University, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and Nationwide Arena submitted a bid to the NCAA and the Women’s Basketball Committee June 2. The bid included more than $2.5 million in public and private support for the event, which would be played at Nationwide Arena.
Sophomore Jantel Lavender was named to the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year watch list Aug. 19.
No. 2 Football
Head Coach: Jim Tressel
Todd Boeckman, Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinaitis and Brian Robiskie were elected 2008 captains the team announced Aug. 22.
Junior Jim Cordle was named to the 2008 Rimington Trophy fall watch list Aug. 21. Former Buckeye LeCharles Bentley is the only Buckeye to win the award since its inception nine years ago.
Laurinaitis, Jenkins and Chris Wells also have made their way onto the 2008 Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list. In 2007, Laurinaitis was named a Walter Camp All-America First Team honoree.
Women’s Gymnastics
Head Coach: Carey Fagan
At the close of the 2007-08 academic year, seniors Helina Manesis and Jessica Rosette, junior Alyssa Meyer and freshman Jessica Staton all carried cumulative grade point averages higher than 3.60 to earn national all-academic honors from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches.
Men’s Hockey
Head Coach: John Markell
Steve Brent, a three-time captain for the Buckeyes, was named an assistant coach for the men’s hockey team, head coach John Markell announced Aug. 19. Brent returns to Ohio State after spending 10 of the last 11 years on the coaching staff. After playing four years with the squad, he began his coaching career as the volunteer assistant in 1997-98 before moving into a full-time assistant coaching position for eight seasons (1998-99 through 2005-06). He was the team’s volunteer assistant last season.
Women’s Hockey
Head Coach: Jackie Barto
Josh Liegl was hired as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team, head coach Jackie Barto announced Aug. 15. Liegl joins the Buckeyes after previously serving as assistant coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Colgate, Findlay and American International College.
Natalie Spooner, an incoming freshman, was named to Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 team, Hockey Canada announced Aug. 17. The forward from Scarborough, Ontario, is one of 22 players selected to the team following a seven-day evaluation camp, Aug. 10-17 in Toronto.
No. 9 Men’s Soccer
Head Coach: John Bluem
Before its home exhibition match vs. Detroit Mercy Aug. 19 in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, No. 9 Ohio State named its 2008 captains seniors Tim Gabel, Danny Irizarry and Geoff Marsh.
The Buckeyes dropped a 1-0 decision in their matchup vs. Detroit Mercy in their first taste of outside competition this preseason. The Scarlet and Gray outshot the Titans, 21-9, including 13-3 in the second half, but Detroit’s Kurt Uebrueck scored on a 17-yard strike through traffic with five minutes to play. In its final preseason tune-up, Ohio State lost, 3-0, to No. 6 Creighton.
The Buckeyes will officially kick off the season at home Aug. 29 in the Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic.
Women’s Soccer
Head Coach: Lori Walker
Glen Tourville was named an assistant coach Aug. 19 head coach Lori Walker announced. Tourville has 17 years of collegiate head coaching experience in addition to 14 years as an age-group coach in the Olympic Development Program (ODP).
Four second-half goals by four different players propelled Ohio State to a 4-0 exhibition win over Kentucky Aug. 20 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Nine true freshmen played in their first games as Buckeyes. Two started: Elizabeth Sullivan at defender and Caitlyn Martin in the midfield. Martin struck first for Ohio State before junior Ashley Bowyer, sophomore Courtney Jenkins and sophomore Alex Burzynski added goals.
The Buckeyes officially begin their 2008 campaign Aug. 27 on the road vs. UW-Milwaukee.
Men’s Tennis
Head Coach: Ty Tucker
Mike O’Connell, who is entering his junior season at Ohio State, received his third-consecutive Scholar-Athlete honor from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Aug. 18. To earn the honor, O’Connell recorded a grade point average of at least 3.50.
Women’s Tennis
Head Coach: Chuck Merzbacher
Five members of the 2007-08 Ohio State team, Angela DiPastina, Julie Blackmore, Christina Keesey, Caitlin O’Keefe and Julie Voss were named Scholar Athletes by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Aug. 18. To earn the honor the student-athletes had to record a grade point average of at least 3.50. Additionally, the women’s team was named to the All-Academic team list for the second-consecutive year.
Softball
Head Coach: Linda Kalafatis
Kristi De Vries, a former Buckeye softball player, was the starting pitcher for the Netherlands in four of their seven games at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Women’s Volleyball
Head Coach: Geoff Carlston
Ohio State begins its season as host of the Sports Imports Classic Aug. 29 and Aug. 30. The Buckeyes open the Classic at 11 a.m. Friday vs. Toledo and close out the first day of play against Xavier at 7:30 p.m. Ohio State will play Youngstown State Saturday at 6 p.m. following the Ohio State Youngstown State football game at noon.
Ohio State Athletics Schedule
Aug. 27-31
Wednesday, Aug. 27
Women’s soccer at UW-Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Friday, Aug. 29
Men’s cross country at Kent State Preview Meet, TBA
Kent, Ohio
Women’s Volleyball Sports Imports Classic
Ohio State vs. Toledo, 11 a.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Xavier vs. Youngstown State, 1:30 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Toledo vs. Youngstown State, 5 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Ohio State vs. Xavier, 7:30 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Women’s soccer vs. Marquette, 3:30 p.m.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Men’s Soccer Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic
Penn State vs. Central Florida, 5 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Ohio State vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 7:30 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Saturday, Aug. 30
Football vs. Youngstown State, noon
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Stadium (Television: Big Ten Network)
Women’s Volleyball Sports Imports Classic
Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, 6 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Toledo vs. Xavier, 8 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
St. John Arena
Sunday, Aug. 31
Men’s Soccer Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic
Penn State vs. Florida Gulf Coast, noon
Columbus, Ohio
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Ohio State vs. Central Florida, 2:30 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Field hockey vs. Kent State, 2 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio
North Turf Field
