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LGHL BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 linebacker Tarvos Alford commits to Ohio State
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BOOOOM! Four-star 2025 linebacker Tarvos Alford commits to Ohio State
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Tarvos Alford | 247Sports
The Buckeyes add four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford to the 2025 haul.
BOOM! Ohio State recruiting has always been a consistent force, but the last couple of months have shown that this staff is capable of achieving an even higher level of recruiting success than they have in recent cycles. Whether it be via the transfer portal or traditional high school recruiting, the Buckeye coaches are reaching new heights of success and the 2025 class is shaping up to be a great one, and it just got that much better.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes added the ninth member of their class thanks to the commitment of Florida linebacker Tarvos Alford. Ohio State now has two linebackers in its next class and is absolutely crushing it on the defensive side of the ball.
This comes after Ohio Stare added an eighth member to the class on Friday, as edge rusher London Merritt committed to the Buckeyes in a surprise move while on a visit to Columbus. Seven of the program’s nine players currently committed are on defense, and with other elite targets still to decide, there’s no telling how good this class could be.
The No. 63 player nationally, Alford is the eighth-best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. With offers from over 30 schools to his name, in February the Florida native released a top six schools list that included Miami, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, UCF, and Ohio State. Since then, the Buckeyes have ensured Alford that he is a priority and that they have everything he could want in a collegiate destination.
Getting to campus multiple times, including in November and just last weekend, Alford being in town on a handful of occasions made him well aware of all that Ohio State has to offer, and shortly after his most recent visit to Columbus, it was five different 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Buckeyes that really made it look like this was Ohio State’s recruitment to lose.
Now a member of the 2025 class, that doesn’t mean that the recruitment of Alford is over. He has said himself that he still plans to use his official visits this coming summer when he takes trips to Florida State, Miami, and potentially more. Thankfully, Alford will once again be back at Ohio State at the end of May for his official with his future school, and while the visits elsewhere don’t exactly excite the Ohio State coaches or fans, it is important to note that this staff is confident in what they have going in order to keep him committed for the long haul.
Like many Florida recruits before him — and likely more to come after him — it’s always going to be a fight to the finish, but that’s the same for any recruit these days. Right now, the Buckeyes have added an elite-level linebacker that they have had their eyes set on for some time now, and their hard work has clearly paid off.
Getting closer and closer to the top class in the country, Ohio State is on a mission in 2025, and Tarvos Alford is the latest to join the ranks.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Tarvos Alford | 247Sports
The Buckeyes add four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford to the 2025 haul.
BOOM! Ohio State recruiting has always been a consistent force, but the last couple of months have shown that this staff is capable of achieving an even higher level of recruiting success than they have in recent cycles. Whether it be via the transfer portal or traditional high school recruiting, the Buckeye coaches are reaching new heights of success and the 2025 class is shaping up to be a great one, and it just got that much better.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes added the ninth member of their class thanks to the commitment of Florida linebacker Tarvos Alford. Ohio State now has two linebackers in its next class and is absolutely crushing it on the defensive side of the ball.
This comes after Ohio Stare added an eighth member to the class on Friday, as edge rusher London Merritt committed to the Buckeyes in a surprise move while on a visit to Columbus. Seven of the program’s nine players currently committed are on defense, and with other elite targets still to decide, there’s no telling how good this class could be.
Laurinaitis gets his second linebacker in the fold
The No. 63 player nationally, Alford is the eighth-best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite. With offers from over 30 schools to his name, in February the Florida native released a top six schools list that included Miami, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, UCF, and Ohio State. Since then, the Buckeyes have ensured Alford that he is a priority and that they have everything he could want in a collegiate destination.
Getting to campus multiple times, including in November and just last weekend, Alford being in town on a handful of occasions made him well aware of all that Ohio State has to offer, and shortly after his most recent visit to Columbus, it was five different 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Buckeyes that really made it look like this was Ohio State’s recruitment to lose.
Now a member of the 2025 class, that doesn’t mean that the recruitment of Alford is over. He has said himself that he still plans to use his official visits this coming summer when he takes trips to Florida State, Miami, and potentially more. Thankfully, Alford will once again be back at Ohio State at the end of May for his official with his future school, and while the visits elsewhere don’t exactly excite the Ohio State coaches or fans, it is important to note that this staff is confident in what they have going in order to keep him committed for the long haul.
Like many Florida recruits before him — and likely more to come after him — it’s always going to be a fight to the finish, but that’s the same for any recruit these days. Right now, the Buckeyes have added an elite-level linebacker that they have had their eyes set on for some time now, and their hard work has clearly paid off.
Getting closer and closer to the top class in the country, Ohio State is on a mission in 2025, and Tarvos Alford is the latest to join the ranks.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball guard Diana Collins enters transfer portal
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Ohio State women’s basketball guard Diana Collins enters transfer portal
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The second Buckeye in three days joins the transfer portal, this time after one season in Columbus
On Wednesday, Ohio State women’s basketball guard Emma Shumate announced her entry into the transfer portal. Early in the evening, The Next Hoops reported a source saying Collins was joining the portal. Late Friday night, teammate Diana Collins joined Shumate, announcing late on Instagram her intent to leave Ohio State.
Collins’ move comes as more of a shock than Shumate’s, with Collins leaving after her freshman season. It was always going to be difficult to find minutes on the court behind the five-guard group used by head coach Kevin McGuff, including Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene, and Rikki Harris.
As a first-year Buckeye thought, Collins showed promise. The guard who could shoot, ball handle, and attack the rim averaged 12 minutes in 13 appearances, over the first 21 games of the season.
However, over the last 11 games of the season, Collins only appeared five times, averaging four minutes per game, scoring no points, and playing three minutes of postseason basketball. That came when the Buckeyes were up against the Maine Black Bears in the First Round.
Collins came to Columbus, Ohio as the 70th prospect in the 2023 ESPN recruiting rankings, out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Collins led Brookwood to a state championship in 2023, It was Brookwood’s first state title in school history and Collins played a prominent part.
The guard led the team in scoring each season and became Brookwood’s all-time leading scorer. A record that stood since the 1980s.
Internationally, Collins played youth basketball for Team Sweden, with her mother’s family hailing from the Scandinavian nation. At the FIBA 2023 U20 European Championship, Collins averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Now, the transfer leaves Buckeye fans wondering what is next for the program, losing two underclassmen guards this offseason.
However, the position of guard still features starting-caliber players. Greene, who confirmed she’s returning for a final season and Harris, who hopes to return but still hasn’t confirmed, will lead the young group of backcourt players. Plus, guard Kaia Henderson who hasn’t featured prominently for the Buckeyes but, as of publishing, is returning.
Also, the No. 1 overall point guard in the 2024 class, Jaloni Cambridge, joins Ohio State for the 24/25 season, along with her sister Kennedy Cambridge who was redshirted this season for the Buckeyes, giving the pair three years together in scarlet and gray. In addition, Ava Watson joins the Buckeyes this offseason too, as head coach Kevin McGuff’s other freshman guard.
Overall, Collins averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in her freshman season. Her departure from the program will draw the attention of other schools, even with Collins’ time on the court limited.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The second Buckeye in three days joins the transfer portal, this time after one season in Columbus
On Wednesday, Ohio State women’s basketball guard Emma Shumate announced her entry into the transfer portal. Early in the evening, The Next Hoops reported a source saying Collins was joining the portal. Late Friday night, teammate Diana Collins joined Shumate, announcing late on Instagram her intent to leave Ohio State.
Collins’ move comes as more of a shock than Shumate’s, with Collins leaving after her freshman season. It was always going to be difficult to find minutes on the court behind the five-guard group used by head coach Kevin McGuff, including Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene, and Rikki Harris.
As a first-year Buckeye thought, Collins showed promise. The guard who could shoot, ball handle, and attack the rim averaged 12 minutes in 13 appearances, over the first 21 games of the season.
However, over the last 11 games of the season, Collins only appeared five times, averaging four minutes per game, scoring no points, and playing three minutes of postseason basketball. That came when the Buckeyes were up against the Maine Black Bears in the First Round.
Collins came to Columbus, Ohio as the 70th prospect in the 2023 ESPN recruiting rankings, out of Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Collins led Brookwood to a state championship in 2023, It was Brookwood’s first state title in school history and Collins played a prominent part.
The guard led the team in scoring each season and became Brookwood’s all-time leading scorer. A record that stood since the 1980s.
Internationally, Collins played youth basketball for Team Sweden, with her mother’s family hailing from the Scandinavian nation. At the FIBA 2023 U20 European Championship, Collins averaged 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Now, the transfer leaves Buckeye fans wondering what is next for the program, losing two underclassmen guards this offseason.
However, the position of guard still features starting-caliber players. Greene, who confirmed she’s returning for a final season and Harris, who hopes to return but still hasn’t confirmed, will lead the young group of backcourt players. Plus, guard Kaia Henderson who hasn’t featured prominently for the Buckeyes but, as of publishing, is returning.
Also, the No. 1 overall point guard in the 2024 class, Jaloni Cambridge, joins Ohio State for the 24/25 season, along with her sister Kennedy Cambridge who was redshirted this season for the Buckeyes, giving the pair three years together in scarlet and gray. In addition, Ava Watson joins the Buckeyes this offseason too, as head coach Kevin McGuff’s other freshman guard.
Overall, Collins averaged 3.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in her freshman season. Her departure from the program will draw the attention of other schools, even with Collins’ time on the court limited.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What was your favorite moment from the weekend?
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You’re Nuts: What was your favorite moment from the weekend?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gil Talbot/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
One of the best four-day stretches of the year is the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. This year was no different, as there was tons of exciting action in the men’s and women’s tournaments. On the men’s side, we had a number of upsets in the first round, headlined by Oakland beating Kentucky and James Madison taking down Wisconsin. The second round saw the favorites move on to the Sweet Sixteen, but a few games ended up going to overtime. Oakland and NC State needed five more minutes, while Oregon and Creighton went to double overtime on Saturday night. On Sunday, Texas A&M erased an 11-point deficit with two minutes to go to force an extra session before the Cougars bested the Aggies.
On the women’s side of the NCAA Tournament, it was obviously a second round to forget for Ohio State fans, as the Buckeyes were bounced from the tournament by Duke on Sunday afternoon. Outside of the action in Columbus, most of the attention was focused on LSU coach Kim Mulkey trying to do damage control on a Washington Post article about her that hasn’t even been released. For a half of basketball, it looked like the defending national champions were on the ropes against Middle Tennessee State before the Tigers pulled away from the Blue Raiders. Even with Ohio State eliminated, it looks like we are heading toward another thrilling close to the women’s basketball season.
The entertainment during the weekend wasn’t only on the hardwood. Ohio State won a number of national championships, the NHL and NBA seasons motor towards the playoffs, and the USMNT continued their domination of Mexico with another win over El Tri in the Nations League Final. Today we want to know what was your favorite moment from the weekend. Since we are all about good vibes, it doesn’t even have to be related to sports. Maybe it was a concert or movie you saw, a new restaurant you tried, or maybe you just played with some cute animals.
Being a Columbus Blue Jackets quarter-season ticket holder, I watch a lot of bad hockey, so it is refreshing to see a hockey team in this city have some success. Nadine Muzerall has built a dynasty on the ice at Ohio State, and I’m convinced she would coach circles around Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent, who is the worst coach in franchise history, which says a lot when you look at just how inept Columbus has been since they entered the NHL back in 2000.
What makes this year’s title for Ohio State even more thrilling than their first championship two years ago is how the Buckeyes were able to respond to a couple of late-season defeats to Wisconsin. Ohio State was defeated late in the regular season by the Badgers and was humbled by Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Faceoff title game. Not only were there a couple of setbacks to the Badgers over the last month, the Buckeyes also lost to Wisconsin in last year’s title game. To win their second title in three years, it was going to take a massive effort from Muzerall’s Buckeyes.
Sunday’s championship game certainly lived up to the hype, as the Buckeyes and Badgers were tied 0-0 more than halfway through the third period. Then with just over seven minutes left in the game, freshman Joy Dunne ripped a shot that found its way into the back of the net, giving Ohio State a 1-0 lead. Goaltender Raygan Kirk and the Buckeye defense would make the lead stand, allowing Ohio State to counter Wisconsin’s 1-0 win in last year’s title game with one of their own. In the final game of her college career, Kirk notched her 10th shutout of the season, which was the most in the country this year, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Don’t expect Ohio State’s women’s hockey team to let off the gas anytime soon. Muzerall has reloaded over the years, so don’t expect any different even though the Buckeyes will lose some key players from this year’s championship team. One player that will be back next year is Dunne, who was the National Rookie of the Year. Dunne led the team with 24 goals this year, none as important as the final goal of the season. Maybe the Blue Jackets should take some notes on how to build a winner in Columbus.
As we head into the second weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournaments, it’s nice to take a second and reflect. I love college football rivalry weekend, I love Major League Baseball Opening Day, the Super Bowl is called “The Big Game” for a reason, and the Olympics and World Cups are truly global must-see events. But for me, there is no higher sports holiday than the first day of the March Madness.
From noon until midnight, there is wall-to-wall action, with up to four games on at a time. When I was in college, my friends and I would skip classes on Thursday and Friday to watch every single game in the Round of 64 at a Damon’s restaurant (anyone old enough to remember those) in our hometown, because back then, there was no way to watch all of the games at home. So, we crammed into a booth and watched every game on the four giant projection screens and ate as much food (man do I miss their garlic rolls) as we could.
Yes, times have changed, every game is available nationwide, cable and streaming companies make it possible to watch all four games on one screen simultaneously, and I am a fully grown adult now meaning that I can’t completely shirk all responsibilities to watch college basketball for 24 hours over a two-day period. However, I still get that same excitement in the lead-up to tipoff. I get giddy about what’s ahead, what upsets, what buzzer-beaters, what legendary performances I am about to witness. While these days my bracket might not be filled out until 11:55 a.m. on Thursday, the fun and excitement of the process still hits every year (btw, I’m still in the 92.6 percentile of ESPN’s Bracket Challenge).
So, while I can’t pin-point an exact moment as eloquently as Brett did, there’s just very few things as special in the world of sports as the first day of the Big Dance!
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gil Talbot/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
One of the best four-day stretches of the year is the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. This year was no different, as there was tons of exciting action in the men’s and women’s tournaments. On the men’s side, we had a number of upsets in the first round, headlined by Oakland beating Kentucky and James Madison taking down Wisconsin. The second round saw the favorites move on to the Sweet Sixteen, but a few games ended up going to overtime. Oakland and NC State needed five more minutes, while Oregon and Creighton went to double overtime on Saturday night. On Sunday, Texas A&M erased an 11-point deficit with two minutes to go to force an extra session before the Cougars bested the Aggies.
On the women’s side of the NCAA Tournament, it was obviously a second round to forget for Ohio State fans, as the Buckeyes were bounced from the tournament by Duke on Sunday afternoon. Outside of the action in Columbus, most of the attention was focused on LSU coach Kim Mulkey trying to do damage control on a Washington Post article about her that hasn’t even been released. For a half of basketball, it looked like the defending national champions were on the ropes against Middle Tennessee State before the Tigers pulled away from the Blue Raiders. Even with Ohio State eliminated, it looks like we are heading toward another thrilling close to the women’s basketball season.
The entertainment during the weekend wasn’t only on the hardwood. Ohio State won a number of national championships, the NHL and NBA seasons motor towards the playoffs, and the USMNT continued their domination of Mexico with another win over El Tri in the Nations League Final. Today we want to know what was your favorite moment from the weekend. Since we are all about good vibes, it doesn’t even have to be related to sports. Maybe it was a concert or movie you saw, a new restaurant you tried, or maybe you just played with some cute animals.
Today’s question: What was your favorite moment from the weekend?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Ohio State women’s hockey winning another national championship
Being a Columbus Blue Jackets quarter-season ticket holder, I watch a lot of bad hockey, so it is refreshing to see a hockey team in this city have some success. Nadine Muzerall has built a dynasty on the ice at Ohio State, and I’m convinced she would coach circles around Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent, who is the worst coach in franchise history, which says a lot when you look at just how inept Columbus has been since they entered the NHL back in 2000.
What makes this year’s title for Ohio State even more thrilling than their first championship two years ago is how the Buckeyes were able to respond to a couple of late-season defeats to Wisconsin. Ohio State was defeated late in the regular season by the Badgers and was humbled by Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Faceoff title game. Not only were there a couple of setbacks to the Badgers over the last month, the Buckeyes also lost to Wisconsin in last year’s title game. To win their second title in three years, it was going to take a massive effort from Muzerall’s Buckeyes.
Sunday’s championship game certainly lived up to the hype, as the Buckeyes and Badgers were tied 0-0 more than halfway through the third period. Then with just over seven minutes left in the game, freshman Joy Dunne ripped a shot that found its way into the back of the net, giving Ohio State a 1-0 lead. Goaltender Raygan Kirk and the Buckeye defense would make the lead stand, allowing Ohio State to counter Wisconsin’s 1-0 win in last year’s title game with one of their own. In the final game of her college career, Kirk notched her 10th shutout of the season, which was the most in the country this year, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Don’t expect Ohio State’s women’s hockey team to let off the gas anytime soon. Muzerall has reloaded over the years, so don’t expect any different even though the Buckeyes will lose some key players from this year’s championship team. One player that will be back next year is Dunne, who was the National Rookie of the Year. Dunne led the team with 24 goals this year, none as important as the final goal of the season. Maybe the Blue Jackets should take some notes on how to build a winner in Columbus.
Matt’s answer: The opening day of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
As we head into the second weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournaments, it’s nice to take a second and reflect. I love college football rivalry weekend, I love Major League Baseball Opening Day, the Super Bowl is called “The Big Game” for a reason, and the Olympics and World Cups are truly global must-see events. But for me, there is no higher sports holiday than the first day of the March Madness.
From noon until midnight, there is wall-to-wall action, with up to four games on at a time. When I was in college, my friends and I would skip classes on Thursday and Friday to watch every single game in the Round of 64 at a Damon’s restaurant (anyone old enough to remember those) in our hometown, because back then, there was no way to watch all of the games at home. So, we crammed into a booth and watched every game on the four giant projection screens and ate as much food (man do I miss their garlic rolls) as we could.
Yes, times have changed, every game is available nationwide, cable and streaming companies make it possible to watch all four games on one screen simultaneously, and I am a fully grown adult now meaning that I can’t completely shirk all responsibilities to watch college basketball for 24 hours over a two-day period. However, I still get that same excitement in the lead-up to tipoff. I get giddy about what’s ahead, what upsets, what buzzer-beaters, what legendary performances I am about to witness. While these days my bracket might not be filled out until 11:55 a.m. on Thursday, the fun and excitement of the process still hits every year (btw, I’m still in the 92.6 percentile of ESPN’s Bracket Challenge).
So, while I can’t pin-point an exact moment as eloquently as Brett did, there’s just very few things as special in the world of sports as the first day of the Big Dance!
Continue reading...