Meet the 2026 Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalists
4/13/2026 6:59:00 PM | General, SASSO
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five men and five women have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Big Ten Medal of Honor at Ohio State. The Big Ten Medal of Honor, given to the most outstanding male and female senior student-athlete on each Big Ten campus each year, is awarded to the respective male and female student-athlete who has "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." Finalists are selected based on their outstanding accomplishments in the classroom, on the field, and as a leader and role model within their program.
The men's finalists were Jack Anthrop (tennis), Cullen Brown (lacrosse), Davis Burnside (hockey), Carson Kharchla (wrestling) and Bruce Thornton (basketball). The women's finalists were Chance Gray (basketball), Lena Hentschel (diving), Kary Hollenbaugh (golf), Emma Peschel (ice hockey) and Tory Vetter (gymnastics).
Jack Anthrop earned men's tennis All-America honors in singles in 2024. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team at No. 6 singles in 2023 and at No. 3 doubles in 2024 and was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024 and 2025. A Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023, Anthrop was a Big Ten Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2023, 2024 and 2025 while earning ITA Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2022, 2023 and 2025.Â
Cullen Brown is a starter at close defense for the Ohio State men's lacrosse team and a captain of the 2026 Buckeyes. He owns both the season and career caused turnover program records and has helped the Buckeye defense lead the nation in goals-against average entering the final week of the 2026 regular season after finishing in the top 15 the two seasons prior. Brown was a key part of the Buckeyes' first Big Ten regular season and tournament championship in 2025 and picked up an honorable mention All-America nod, Second Team All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten All-Tournament Team recognition the same year.
Davis Burnside was a two-time captain and four-year letterwinner for the men's hockey team. He ended his career with 112 points on 49 goals and 63 assists in 155 career games, skating in every game over the last four years. He was part of two NCAA tournament squads and made two appearances in the Big Ten Tournament final. Burnside was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2025. As a senior, he was second on the team with 32 points and a career-high 20 assists, along with 12 goals. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete.Â
Wrestler Carson Kharchla finished his career with 89 victories, including 45 in duals and 20 in Big Ten duals. He was a four-time NCAA qualifier and two-time All-American (2022 at 165, 2026 at 174). Off the mat, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors five times (2021-25), was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar twice (2024, 2025) and was named an Ohio State Scholar Athlete five times (2021-25). The National Wrestling Coaches Association named him a Scholar All-America honoree in 2022 and 2025.Â
The only four-time captain in Ohio State men's basketball history, Bruce Thornton became the school's all-time leading scorer this season, finishing his career with 2,164 points. This year, he averaged career highs in points and rebounds and scored the ninth-most points in a single season in program history. He earned his third All-Big Ten honor and was named an honorable mention AP All-American.
Chance Gray spent her junior and senior seasons with the Scarlet & Gray, leading the Buckeyes to a 54-15 record, two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Big Ten semifinal appearances during that time. She is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and earned a spot on the Big Ten Honorable Mention list and the Big Ten All-Tournament Team this season. Gray made 85 three-pointers in 2025-26, tying for the ninth most in single season program history. Despite being with the Buckeyes for only two seasons, she ranks 14th in three-pointers made (155) and 15th in three-pointers attempted (411) among all-time program leaders. Gray scored 910 points with the Buckeyes to bring her career total to 1,701 and participated in this year's Lilly Women's All-Star Game to cap her collegiate career.Â
Lena Hentschel is a two-time Big Ten Champion in the women's 1-meter dive and a three-time NCAA qualifier. A two-time Olympian, she is a two-time All-American in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. Hentschel has been named to the All-Big Ten First Team twice and she is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Ohio State Scholar Athlete. She was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2025 and a CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American in 2024.
Kary Hollenbaugh holds multiple Ohio State women's golf program records, including tournament wins in a single season with four in 2025, and was the silver medalist at the 2025 Big Ten Championships. Hollenbaugh earned WGCA and GolfWeek All-America honors in 2025, is a two-time selection to the All-Big Ten First Team and she has competed in the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur twice.
Emma Peschel is a four-year letterwinner for the Ohio State women's hockey team. She was a two-time All-American and First Team All-WCHA honoree and captained the Buckeyes in 2025-26. Peschel finished her collegiate career as a national champion, WCHA Final Faceoff Champion and two-time WCHA regular season champion. She finished top 10 in season points by a Buckeye defender in her final two seasons, played in the national title game every year of her Ohio State career and helped the team to program-record win seasons in 2023-24 and 2025-26. Peschel is just the fourth Ohio State defender to record 100 career points, finishing with 108 in 151 career games. She also blocked 137 shots and was +118 on ice in her time as a Buckeye.
Tory Vetter is a five-year member of the women's gymnastics team. She was the 2024 Big Ten balance beam champion and has a share of the program all-around record. The three-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree and two-time All-Big Ten Championships Team member has competed in 54 meets in her Ohio State career and will be competing in the all-around at the NCAA Championships later this week. The Hilliard, Ohio, native has competed in every meet the last three seasons for the Buckeyes and was a key piece of the team advancing to the NCAA Regional Final three of the last four years.Â
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The men's finalists were Jack Anthrop (tennis), Cullen Brown (lacrosse), Davis Burnside (hockey), Carson Kharchla (wrestling) and Bruce Thornton (basketball). The women's finalists were Chance Gray (basketball), Lena Hentschel (diving), Kary Hollenbaugh (golf), Emma Peschel (ice hockey) and Tory Vetter (gymnastics).
Jack Anthrop earned men's tennis All-America honors in singles in 2024. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team at No. 6 singles in 2023 and at No. 3 doubles in 2024 and was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024 and 2025. A Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023, Anthrop was a Big Ten Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2023, 2024 and 2025 while earning ITA Scholar-Athlete accolades in 2022, 2023 and 2025.Â
Cullen Brown is a starter at close defense for the Ohio State men's lacrosse team and a captain of the 2026 Buckeyes. He owns both the season and career caused turnover program records and has helped the Buckeye defense lead the nation in goals-against average entering the final week of the 2026 regular season after finishing in the top 15 the two seasons prior. Brown was a key part of the Buckeyes' first Big Ten regular season and tournament championship in 2025 and picked up an honorable mention All-America nod, Second Team All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten All-Tournament Team recognition the same year.
Davis Burnside was a two-time captain and four-year letterwinner for the men's hockey team. He ended his career with 112 points on 49 goals and 63 assists in 155 career games, skating in every game over the last four years. He was part of two NCAA tournament squads and made two appearances in the Big Ten Tournament final. Burnside was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2025. As a senior, he was second on the team with 32 points and a career-high 20 assists, along with 12 goals. He is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete.Â
Wrestler Carson Kharchla finished his career with 89 victories, including 45 in duals and 20 in Big Ten duals. He was a four-time NCAA qualifier and two-time All-American (2022 at 165, 2026 at 174). Off the mat, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors five times (2021-25), was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar twice (2024, 2025) and was named an Ohio State Scholar Athlete five times (2021-25). The National Wrestling Coaches Association named him a Scholar All-America honoree in 2022 and 2025.Â
The only four-time captain in Ohio State men's basketball history, Bruce Thornton became the school's all-time leading scorer this season, finishing his career with 2,164 points. This year, he averaged career highs in points and rebounds and scored the ninth-most points in a single season in program history. He earned his third All-Big Ten honor and was named an honorable mention AP All-American.
Chance Gray spent her junior and senior seasons with the Scarlet & Gray, leading the Buckeyes to a 54-15 record, two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Big Ten semifinal appearances during that time. She is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and earned a spot on the Big Ten Honorable Mention list and the Big Ten All-Tournament Team this season. Gray made 85 three-pointers in 2025-26, tying for the ninth most in single season program history. Despite being with the Buckeyes for only two seasons, she ranks 14th in three-pointers made (155) and 15th in three-pointers attempted (411) among all-time program leaders. Gray scored 910 points with the Buckeyes to bring her career total to 1,701 and participated in this year's Lilly Women's All-Star Game to cap her collegiate career.Â
Lena Hentschel is a two-time Big Ten Champion in the women's 1-meter dive and a three-time NCAA qualifier. A two-time Olympian, she is a two-time All-American in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. Hentschel has been named to the All-Big Ten First Team twice and she is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Ohio State Scholar Athlete. She was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2025 and a CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American in 2024.
Kary Hollenbaugh holds multiple Ohio State women's golf program records, including tournament wins in a single season with four in 2025, and was the silver medalist at the 2025 Big Ten Championships. Hollenbaugh earned WGCA and GolfWeek All-America honors in 2025, is a two-time selection to the All-Big Ten First Team and she has competed in the prestigious Augusta National Women's Amateur twice.
Emma Peschel is a four-year letterwinner for the Ohio State women's hockey team. She was a two-time All-American and First Team All-WCHA honoree and captained the Buckeyes in 2025-26. Peschel finished her collegiate career as a national champion, WCHA Final Faceoff Champion and two-time WCHA regular season champion. She finished top 10 in season points by a Buckeye defender in her final two seasons, played in the national title game every year of her Ohio State career and helped the team to program-record win seasons in 2023-24 and 2025-26. Peschel is just the fourth Ohio State defender to record 100 career points, finishing with 108 in 151 career games. She also blocked 137 shots and was +118 on ice in her time as a Buckeye.
Tory Vetter is a five-year member of the women's gymnastics team. She was the 2024 Big Ten balance beam champion and has a share of the program all-around record. The three-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree and two-time All-Big Ten Championships Team member has competed in 54 meets in her Ohio State career and will be competing in the all-around at the NCAA Championships later this week. The Hilliard, Ohio, native has competed in every meet the last three seasons for the Buckeyes and was a key piece of the team advancing to the NCAA Regional Final three of the last four years.Â
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