Ohio State CareerÂ
- Voted winner of team Unsung Player award in 2023-24
- Earned bachelor's degree in sport industry in Spring 2023Â
- Working toward certificate in diversity, equity and inclusion
- A five-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and four-time Academic All-Big Ten pickÂ
- Ended collegiate career with 20 points, on seven goals and 13 assists, in 86 games
- Led B1G and ranked third in the NCAA with three shorthanded goals in 2023-24; tied for 10th in a single-season in program history and was first with three since Anthony Greco in 2015-16
- Signed with ECHL Toledo following the Buckeyes' 2023-24 season; had three goals in 10 regular season games (scoring twice in second pro game) and skated in four postseason contests
2023-24Â (Graduate Season)Â
- Unsung Player award winner
- Career-best six goals, eight assists, 14 points, 38 games played, 56 shots on goal, 16 shot blocks and 214 faceoff wins
- Tied for third in NCAA with three shorthanded goals, tallied man-down at Omaha Oct. 28, vs. Bowling Green Jan. 5 and vs. Penn State March 1
- Two-point game vs. Bowling Green, adding an assist to go with shorthanded score Â
- Also scored vs. Princeton Nov. 24, vs. Notre Dame Jan. 12 and at Penn State Jan. 26
- Posted an assist in the season opener at Mercyhurst Oct. 7, at Michigan Oct. 20, at Omaha Oct. 27, vs. Michigan State Nov. 4, vs. Mercyhurst Dec. 30, at Michigan State Feb. 23 and at Wisconsin March 8 in B1G Tournament
- Career-high five shots on goal at Omaha Oct. 27 and vs. Princeton Nov. 24 and had four in B1G Tournament semifinal at Michigan State
- Earned Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honors
2022-23 (Senior Season)Â
- Played in then-career-high 26 games, with a goal and three assists for four pointsÂ
- Scored first career goal at Notre Dame Feb. 11Â
- Assist in back-to-back games - Dec. 3 at Penn State and Dec. 16 at Bowling Green, and also had a helper Feb. 4 against the Nittany LionsÂ
- +1 in three games in a row - Dec. 2 and 3 at Penn State and Dec. 16 at Bowling GreenÂ
- Named an Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and to the Academic All-Big Ten teamÂ
2021-22 (Junior Season)Â
- Skated in three outings and had two assistsÂ
- Played in both games vs. Mercyhurst Nov. 26-27Â
- Posted assist in game two for first career point; +1 in the win and blocked a shotÂ
- Helper at Notre Dame Dec. 4Â
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten and Ohio State Scholar-Athlete accoladesÂ
2020-21 (Sophomore Season)Â
- Made season debut Nov. 29 vs. Michigan State and was injured in the gameÂ
- Played in 10 games overallÂ
- Three shot blocksÂ
- Academic All-Big Ten selection and an Ohio State Scholar-AthleteÂ
2019-20 (Freshman Season)Â
- Played in 10 gamesÂ
- Two shot blocks vs. Colgate Dec. 28Â
- Made Buckeye debut Nov. 2 vs. MichiganÂ
- Earned Ohio State Scholar-Athlete honorsÂ
Prior to Ohio StateÂ
- Played in the USHL for three seasons before coming to Ohio State, spending last year and a half in YoungstownÂ
- Skated in 56 regular season games in 2018-19, with 25 points on nine goals and 16 assistsÂ
- Started 2017-18 with Cedar Rapids, serving as the team's captain, and had a 2-2-4 line in 15 games before moving to Youngstown; Had 2-4-6 totals in 21 games with the Phantoms; Squad reached the Clark Cup finalsÂ
- Played in 56 games for the RoughRiders in 2016-17, notching 17 points on 12 goals and five assists while serving as an assistant captain as a rookieÂ
- Skated with the Oakland Junior Grizzlies and Compuware and served as a captain for OaklandÂ
- Graduated from De La Salle Collegiate in Warren, Mich., in 2016Â
- Also played high school lacrosse and travel baseballÂ
PersonalÂ
- Son of Joe, who works with Ford Motor Company, and Sherry, who works at Biondo CementÂ
- Sister, Desiree, and brother, Dario, both attended Oakland University; Desiree attended Michigan to obtain her master's degree in social work, she was a two-time All-American and three-time Player of the Year for the women's lacrosse team at Oakland, part of four conference championship teams and four WCLA national tournament appearancesÂ
- Late uncle Tommy Valentine played college golf at Georgia and was a member of the PGA for 12 years, recording 14 Top 10 finishes and beating Tom Watson in a three-hole sudden death playoff in 1981Â
- Earned bachelor's degree in sport industry in Spring 2023Â
- Loves to play cards and learn about historyÂ
- Started hockey at age 3; sister and brother were always playing - whether it was street, roller or ice hockey - and always wanted to be a part of itÂ
- Has worked as a golf caddy, starting at age 12Â
- Pick One: Best thing about hockey – brotherhood; Movie – Happy Gilmore; TV show – Entourage or The Office; Musician – Toby Keith; Professional team – Detroit Red Wings; Athletes – Brendan Shanahan and Lebron James; Homecooked meal – mom's chicken pot pie; Celebrity – Vince Vaughn; Snack food – granola bar; Ice cream flavor – chocolate chip cookie dough; Sport other than hockey – basketball; Vacation spot – Florida; Rink – Joe Louis Arena; Book – Harry Potter series; Place hockey has taken you – Quebec City for the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey TournamentÂ
