#3

Cole McWard

Defenseman

Player profile

  • Year Sophomore
  • Height 6-1
  • Weight 205
  • Hometown Fenton, Mo.
  • Junior Team Tri-City Storm (USHL)

NHL

  • Attended New Jersey Devils development camp in Summer 2022 as free agent invitee

Ohio State Career

  • An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete

2022-23 (Sophomore Season, through Jan. 1)

  • Has played in 19 of 20 games, with seven points, on two goals and five assists
  • Enters second half on four-game point streak (1g, 4a, 5p)
  • Big Ten Third Star of the Week after team-best three points in series at Penn State Dec. 2-3; Goal and two shot blocks in game one, with two assists and career-high tying four blocks in game two
  • Scored third-period gamewinner in comeback win vs. Wisconsin Oct. 8
  • Assist in each game vs. Bowling Green Dec. 16-17

2021-22 (Freshman Season)

  • Played in 36 of 37 games, posting 16 points on four goals and 12 assists
  • +13 on the year and +1 or better in 14 of the last 22 games
  • Point in 10 of last 16 games (4g, 9a, 13p)
  • 40 shot blocks, including 4 at Michigan State Jan. 22 and 3 in five other games
  • Assist and +2 in game one and goal in game two of Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal series vs. Penn State March 4-5; six shot blocks in the three-game series
  • Goal and five shots in back-to-back games, vs. Wisconsin Feb. 5 and vs. Minnesota Feb. 11
  • Two assists in each game vs. Notre Dame Jan. 14-15, with +3 mark in the series; Helper in game one at Michigan State Jan. 21 for three-game streak
  • Scored first career goal and added an assist for first two-point night Jan. 1 vs. LIU; +3 in the contest
  • Assist vs. UConn Oct. 15 for first collegiate point
  • Helper vs. Penn State Nov. 5, against Bowling Green Dec. 16, at Wisconsin Jan. 8 and at Penn State Jan. 29
  • An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete

Prior to Ohio State

  • Second Team All-USHL in 2020-21 after leading USHL defensemen in power play goals (9) and shots on goal (131) while skating with Tri-City
  • Captain for the Storm and had 33 points, with 14 goals and 19 assists, in 52 games
  • Skated in 48 games with Tri-City in both 2018-19 and 2019-20; notched 1-5-6 line in first full year and 8-10-19 totals in year two; made USHL debut with Tri-City in 2017-18
  • Won gold at U17 Five Nations Cup with Team USA
  • USHL All-Academic Team honoree in 2019
  • Played for St. Louis AAA Blues
  • Attended Westminster Christian Academy and graduated from University of Missouri Online K-12 in 2019
  • Also played lacrosse, roller hockey and football

Personal

  • Son of Tina and Patrick, who both attended Missouri
  • Has a brother, Gannon
  • Enjoys playing pool (used to be a lot better at it), plays basketball and can juggle; loves dogs
  • Plans to major in a business area and would like to own and run a company someday
  • Has worked as a summer intern for his father, along with coaching at hockey camps
  • Played junior hockey with Christian Berger of Penn State and Yale’s Henry Wagner
  • On why he chose Ohio State: “It has the best of everything to offer. It is a top-notch university along with a hockey program that has a long history of success. The facilities at Ohio State are unmatched and the coaches are amazing people and coaches. I couldn’t be more excited to be a Buckeye.”
  • Started playing hockey at age 3; older brother started playing and would go to his skating lessons; got to go on the ice one day and always wanted to play after that

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