John Wiitala

Ohio State Career

Four-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection
Member of second senior class in program history to make three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 2018 Frozen Four trip (second in program history), and part of program’s first Big Ten regular season title in 2019
Earned bachelor’s degree in finance in Spring 2019
Awarded Woody and Anne Hayes scholarship for postgraduate studies at 2019 Ohio State Scholar-Athlete Dinner
Played in 148 career games, with 38 goals and 35 assists for 73 points, posting +28 rating
Did not miss a game his last three years and ended career playing in 139 consecutive games
Traveled to Puerto Rico on service-learning trip with a group from the department of athletics in Summer 2018, working with Soles4Souls (Trip Blog)

Professional

2018-19 (Senior Season)

Played in all 36 games, with 9-8-17 line and +9 mark
Point in four of last five games (3g, 2a), with +1 mark in four of the five
Two points, with power play goal and an assist, at Michigan Feb. 23
Scored on the power play in the third period at Wisconsin Feb. 8 to tie game at one (in eventual 2-1 OT win)
Won faceoff that led to third period insurance goal vs. Notre Dame Feb. 2
Two points, with a power play goal and an assist, at Michigan State Jan. 5
Goal at Minnesota Nov. 30 and vs. Michigan State March 1
Set up third-period gamewinner at Colgate Nov. 10
Goal in game one, assist (on third period gamewinner) in game two vs. Penn State Nov. 23-24
Earned Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honors

2017-18 (Junior Season)

Played in all 41 games, with 8-11-19 line; Point in eight of last 16 games (2g, 6a, 8p)
+2 vs. Denver in NCAA Midwest Regional March 25; Part of line that shut down top line for Princeton and Denver
Assist in B1G Tournament semifinals vs. Michigan March 10
Goal and +2 in each Big Ten quarterfinal game vs. Michigan State March 2-3
Helper and +2 vs. Wisconsin Feb. 24
Assist in each game at Notre Dame Feb. 9-10, with two shot blocks in game one
Helper vs. Michigan Jan. 27 and vs. Michigan State Feb. 3
Assist in game one at Michgian State Jan. 5, with go-ahead goal in third period in game two Jan. 6
Goal vs. Niagara Dec. 30
Assist vs. Minnesota Dec. 9
Power play goal vs. Robert Morris Oct. 27 and at Michigan Nov. 24
Assist in both games vs. RPI Oct. 13-14 and at UMass Oct. 20
Scored in each game at Wisconsin Oct. 6-7 to open the season
Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honoree

2016-17 (Sophomore Season)

Played in all 39 games and had 10 goals, nine assists and 19 points
Seven-game point streak Oct. 21-Nov. 11
Scored third period gamewinner at Michigan State Feb. 17 and had an assist in game two vs. the Spartans
Two goals at Robert Morris Nov. 5, with a helper in game one vs. the Colonials Nov. 4
First career two-assist game at Minnesota Dec. 3 and was +3 in the win
Scored in each game at Niagara Oct. 28-29
Opened season with goal in both games of the Ice Breaker Tournament; tallied eventual gamewinner vs. Denver Oct. 7 and scored in third period of tie vs. Air Force Oct. 8
Power play goal at Michigan Feb. 4, helping Buckeyes to comeback win
Scored on a breakaway at Penn State Jan. 21 and had three blocks in the game
Empty net goal vs. Penn State Jan. 6 to seal win
Assist in each game vs. Bowling Green Oct. 21-22
Earned Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honors

2015-16 (Freshman Season)

Skated in 32 games (including last 23) and had 11 goals, seven assists and 18 points
Led squad with three gamewinning tallies, with all three coming in the third period
Goal in each game vs. Wisconsin Feb. 26-27; drew Ohio State within one (4-3) with third period goal in game one, an eventual 4-4 overtime tie, and scored gamewinner with 2:49 left in game two
Third period gamewinner and an assist at Penn State Feb. 20
Scored gamewinning goal on the power play in the third period of 3-2 win over Boston College Dec. 28 in Florida tournament
Goal, assist and two points vs. Cornell in tournament final
Tally and +2 mark vs. Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, with goal coming 38 seconds into the game
Scored on the power play late in the first period at Michigan March 4 to put Ohio State ahead in eventual 7-4 win
Two points in series vs. Minnesota Feb. 12-13, with assist in game one and goal in game two
Power play goal and an assist for two points Jan. 15 vs. Michigan and had a helper at Michigan Jan. 17
First career goal came Oct. 24 at Providence and also scored Oct. 31 vs. Mercyhurst
An Ohio State Scholar-Athlete

Prior to Ohio State

Skated three full years with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL
Played in 60 games in 2014-15 and had 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points
Skated in 56 games in 2013-14 and posted a 9-14-23 line for regular season championship squad; also played in 12 playoff contests as team lost in game five of the Clark Cup championship
6-5-11 line in 51 games for the Black Hawks in 2012-13 and earned team’s Most Improved award
Played for Lakeville South High School, posting 23 points in 25 games, with eight goals and 15 assists, in 2011-12; squad reached state tournament semifinals
Graduated from Waterloo West High School in 2013
Also played lacrosse and golf

Off the Ice

Son of Martin and Jeannine and has a sister, Emily
Father played at Wisconsin (1983-86), serving as captain as a senior, was drafted by the North Stars in the fifth round of the 1982 NHL Draft and played professionally in Vienna, Austria
Finance major
Enjoys fishing, golfing and swimming
Attracted to Ohio State because of the combination of a great education and a great hockey program
Father put him on skates when he was 2 or 3 and has been playing ever since
Favorite player is Pavel Datsyuk because of his unbelievable play with the puck and because he is one of the most exciting players in the world to watch
Has traveled extensively, including to Tanzania, Africa, Dominican Republic, Russia and Mexico
Pick one: Movie – Talladega Nights; Television show – Blacklist; Music – Drake, Coldplay; Professional team – Minnesota Wild; Homecooked meal – steak; Celebrity – Blake Lively; Vacation spot – Fort Myers, Fla.; Magazine – The Hockey News; Hockey Rink – Xcel Energy Center

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