Buckeye Teams Post Record-Setting Fall – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | General
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After posting the best spring in school history, Ohio State teams had the best fall season ever as all seven sports reached postseason play.
The Buckeye football team wrapped up their fifth-consecutive outright Big Ten championship with a 21-10 win over Michigan to close out the regular season. Jim Tressel’s team reached its first Rose Bowl since 1997 and will face Oregon Jan. 1. Ten Buckeyes earned All-Big Ten honors including Kurt Coleman, Justin Boren, Brandon Saine, Thaddeus Gibson, Cameron Heyward, Ross Homan, Bryant Browning, Doug Worthington, Chimdi Chekwa and Terrelle Pryor.
For the first time in program history, the women’s cross country program qualified for the NCAA championships. Head coach Karen Dennis’ Buckeyes finished 29th in their first trip to the national finals after making their first appearance in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 30 rankings Nov. 17. Juniors Jordan Jennewine, Ellen Birmingham and Sarah Foster were selected as members of the 2009 Great Lakes All-Regional team.
Robert Gary’s men’s cross country team finished 2009 with a 21st place finish at NCAA’s with senior Jeff See earning All-America laurels at finishing 28th. See also was named 2009 Great Lakes Athlete of the Year for his accomplishments. Teammate Taylor Williams earned a place on the all-regional team.
The men’s soccer Buckeyes brought home a regular season and a Big Ten tournament title in 2009 to reach the NCAA tournament. Seven players received All-Big Ten honors and head coach John Bluem was named Big Ten coach of the year. Doug Verhoff was named co-defensive player of the year and keeper Matt Lampson was dubbed co-freshman of the year.
Women’s soccer posted a 14-4-2 record, the best since 2004, en route to a second place finish in the Big Ten and its fifth NCAA tournament appearance. Head coach Lori Walker’s Buckeyes, winners of a school record seven Big Ten matches, placed five players on the All-Big Ten teams including senior Ashley Bowyer and junior Cassie Dickerson on the first team. In addition, Bowyer was named a third-team NSCAA All-American.
Anne Wilkinson’s field hockey squad reached the program’s fifth NCAA tournament after going 13-7 in 2009. Berta Queralt was named a third-team NFHCA All-American and Big Ten freshman of the year. Queralt and sophomores Aisling Coyle and Maria Briones were recognized as All-West Region selections.
In head coach Geoff Carlston’s second season at the helm, the women’s volleyball team wrapped up another successful season with a 25-10 overall record, advancing to the second round in the program’s 16th appearance in the NCAA Championship. Junior Katie Dull was a unanimous selection on the All-Big Ten team while senior Kristen Dozier received honorable mention accolades.
All of this comes after the Buckeyes placed a record ten teams in postseason play in the spring of 2009. A total of 17 Ohio State teams have advanced to the postseason over the last two seasons.
