Caleb Downs, Joy Dunne Named Ohio State Athletes of the Year
6/22/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football, Women's Ice Hockey
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State football All-American Caleb Downs and women's hockey gold medalist Joy Dunne are Ohio State's 2025-26 Athletes of the Year. Both will now be placed on the ballots for Big Ten Athlete of the Year awards, with the winners to be announced by the conference in July.
Downs delivered one of the most decorated seasons in Ohio State history in 2025. The true junior was widely regarded as the nation's top defensive player, earning unanimous All-America honors for the second consecutive year while sweeping the nation's top defensive awards, including the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy. He was also named the Big Ten Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and the Big Ten Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year, joining Mike Doss (2002) as the only safeties in conference history to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.
A team captain, Downs finished third on the Buckeyes with 68 tackles, including 45 solo stops, while adding five tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
Downs concluded his collegiate career with 44 starts, totaling 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
He was selected 11th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, becoming the highest-drafted Ohio State safety since Malik Hooker was taken 15th overall in 2017. Downs is the first safety of the Ryan Day era (2019–present) to be selected in the top 13 picks and his selection tied for the highest a safety has been drafted since 2017.
Not to be outdone, Joy Dunne showcased her talents on both the NCAA and Olympic ice this year. She was a key part of the team's success, both as a forward and a defender, helping the team to a fifth straight national title game appearance. Dunne was named a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalist for the second consecutive season and earned second team All-America honors as she helped the Buckeyes to its first WCHA Final Faceoff championship since 2022.
Dunne led the Buckeyes with 27 goals in 2025-26, becoming just the second player in program history to lead the team in scoring for three straight seasons. The First Team All-WCHA selection totaled 51 points and tied for a team-best +50 on ice rating in 31 games played for Ohio State.
In the middle of the NCAA season, Dunne made her Olympic debut at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, helping Team USA win its first Olympic gold medal since 2018. Dunne, the youngest member of the United States' squad, worked her way onto the first line for the gold medal game and finished the tournament with three goals, two assists and a +7 in seven games played.
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