Buckeye Spotlight – Dec. 6
12/6/2022 2:55:13 PM | General
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Week in and week out, Buckeye student-athletes raise the standard of excellence set at Ohio State, whether that be in competition, in the classroom, or in the community. ‘Buckeye Spotlight’ recognizes student-athletes who had noteworthy accomplishments both in contests and beyond the box score.
Throughout the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Ohio State Athletics continues to celebrate exceptional female student-athletes and women’s teams throughout history, highlighting a new moment or person every week. This week, women’s soccer player Jodie Stranges, the program’s first All-American, is highlighted. Visit OhioStateBuckeyes.com to read more.
Rebeka Mikulášiková | Women’s Basketball | Sr. | Nitra, Slovakia
- Senior forward Rebeka Mikulášiková continued to shine for the Buckeyes as Ohio State won on the road against No. 18/15 Louisville and Rutgers. Last week, Mikulášiková averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, shooting 20-of-30 (.667) from the floor and 10-of-12 (.833) from the charity stripe.
- At Louisville, Mikulášiková scored 21 points (just two shy of her then career-high), shooting 9-of-14 (.643) and added five rebounds and four assists. This Ohio State win broke up Louisville’s 48-game home win streak against non-conference opponents.
- At Rutgers, Mikulášiková led Ohio State with a career-high 31 points on 11-of-16 (.688) shooting, also grabbing a team-high six rebounds. Her and teammate Taylor Mikesell both scoring 30+ points in the same game is only the third time in program history this has occurred (previously done in 1979 and 2016). She was 2-of-4 (.500) from long range and was 7-of-8 on free throws, the most made by a Buckeye from the line this season.
- Mikulášiková has four 20-point games this season after having a career-high of 19 points for any game the past three seasons. This season, Mikulášiková leads Ohio State with 19.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 63.9 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from long range.
- Ohio State tied its highest AP ranking in program history by moving up to No. 3 on Monday.
Women’s Volleyball Team
- The third-seeded Ohio State women’s volleyball team earned sweeps against Tennessee State (25-10, 25-14, 25-15) in the first round and six-seeded USC (25-21, 25-17, 25-16) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after earning the opportunity to host the first two rounds inside Covelli for the second-consecutive season.
- This is Ohio State’s third-straight NCAA regional semifinal appearance.
- Earlier today, junior opposite Emily Londot was named AVCA Northeast Region Player of the Year. Senior libero Kylie Murr and senior setter Mac Podraza joined Londot on the All-Region Team, while senior outside Gabby Gonzales earned an honorable mention.
- Last week, Murr and Podraza made history by becoming the first player in program history to be named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Setter of the Year, respectively. Londot joined Murr and Podraza on the All-Big Ten First Team, while Gonzales and junior middle Rylee Rader made the All-Big Ten Second Team. Senior outside Mia Grunze was Ohio State’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree.
C.J. Stroud | Football | Jr. | Inland Empire, Calif.
- On Monday evening, Stroud was announced as one of four finalists for the most prestigious award in college football: the Heisman Trophy.
- He will join Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, TCU quarterback Max Duggan and USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
- Stroud is the first Ohio State player to be a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist. Prior to 1982, only the Heisman winner was invited to New York so there was no such thing as a Heisman finalist.
- Stroud has already been named the Big Ten Conference’s Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year and the Big Ten’s Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year.
Malik Heinselman | Wrestling | Sr., 125 | Castle Rock, Colorado
- Won six-of-eight matches at the 2022 Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas
- Finished fifth at CKLV to improve to 13-2 this year
- Is 3-0 this season in dual matches
- Opened the season with a championship at the MSU Open
- Currently ranked No. 11 nationally in the 125-pound weight class
- Back in action at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Covelli Center vs. Kent State
