• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

LGHL Ohio State Wrestling: Previewing the 2024 Big Ten Championships

Ohio State Wrestling: Previewing the 2024 Big Ten Championships
Josh Dooley
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


GGExf0UXUAAJLZx.0.jpg

Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks

Despite finishing the regular season ranked No. 6 nationally, OSU sits behind three teams in the loaded Big Ten. Can the Buckeyes make a run at the conference crown this weekend?

When the 2024 Big Ten Championships begin on Saturday, March 9, Ohio State will likely have the fourth or fifth-best odds to win... Despite being ranked sixth in the country! This is because the Big Ten is, and has been, the preeminent conference in college wrestling for decades, with Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio State accounting for all but four of the sport’s national championships since 1994.

Currently, the Big Ten boasts seven of the top 14 teams in the national rankings, with Penn State, Iowa, and Nebraska leading the way. And since all of these teams will obviously be competing in Maryland – the site of the 2024 conference tourney – it goes without saying that OSU faces an uphill battle just to finish inside the top three, something the Buckeyes have not achieved since 2020.


But don’t tell Tom Ryan and Co. that they are longshots to win or even secure a podium finish. Doing so would be an exercise in futility. Not only is this Ohio State squad extremely talented, but they also seem to possess a certain amount of youthful ignorance. Or better yet, fearlessness.

This is the byproduct of several “new” Buckeyes being forced into action, only to come out battle-tested and calloused but otherwise unscathed, and often victorious, as evidenced by OSU’s 15-2 record in duals.

As a result of all the moving, shaking, and injuries, the team’s current lineup features just two regulars from a year ago, one of whom is true sophomore Jesse Mendez. The rest of the lineup is littered with first and second-year grapplers, including two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman in Nick Feldman, who missed all of last season due to injury.

Of course, Ohio State’s vast collection of talent (young or old) is not some rare outlier in the Big Ten. Penn State boasts one of the best rosters ever assembled. Iowa has won 24 national championships since 1975. I could go on and on. But the Buckeyes should still be expected to perform well in College Park, MD.

They have proven themselves time and time again this season – not just against several Big Ten opponents, but also the likes of Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, ranked No. 3 and No. 2 respectively when taken down by OSU.

Here are Ohio State’s expected competitors at the 2024 Big Ten Championships:

-

Six Buckeyes in the Top-5, four are freshmen

https://t.co/NTP7g50gKc#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/bfcNvmuFnk

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 5, 2024

Brendan McCrone (R-Fr.) – 125 pounds


Despite wins over No. 1 and No. 4 (nationally, at the time) in the 125-lb weight class, McCrone will enter this tournament as an 8-seed. While both of his top-5 victories were very impressive, neither took place in conference competition. Against ranked Big Ten opponents, McCrone went 1-2 with losses via major decision and pinfall.

Nic Bouzakis (R-Fr.) – 133 pounds


Bouzakis will be a 3-seed behind the two Dylans – Ragusin of Michigan and Shawver of Rutgers – who handed him his only conference losses of the season (6-2 in B1G duals). But seeding aside, Bouzakis should be considered a legitimate threat to win 133, thanks to his impressive ability to rack up both points and pins in bunches.

Jess Mendez (So.) – 141 pounds


Mendez will be the 2-seed at 141, behind Penn State’s Beau Bartlett, who handed the former his only conference loss of the season — a one-point loss in sudden victory. In addition to Bartlett, Mendez could also face Iowa’s Real Woods and/or Nebraska’s Brock Hardy during this tournament, both of whom (like Bartlett and Mendez) are ranked inside the top-5 nationally. So while Mendez is arguably the Buckeyes’ best shot at winning an individual conference title, the battle at 141 is shaping up to be a bloodbath.

Dylan D’Emilio (R-Sr.) – 149 pounds


One of Tom Ryan’s few veteran leaders, D’Emilio knows exactly what to expect this weekend. The fifth-year grappler will be making his fourth appearance at the Big Ten Championships, where he is 8-6 overall with two top-5 finishes. D’Emilio will head to Maryland as a 5-seed.

Isaac Wilcox (Sr.) – 157 pounds


“Mr. Versatility”, Wilcox was the only Buckeye to receive a double-digit seed for this tournament (10). But with a career-high 18 wins on the season already, do not be surprised if Wilcox pulls off an upset or two.

Bryce Hepner (R-Jr.) – 165 pounds


With 10 of his 13 wins this season coming via major decision, tech fall, or pin, Hepner should be viewed as a dangerous 8-seed. In fact, I could see both Hepner and fellow 8-seed McCrone placing much higher than they are currently projected or seeded.

Rocco Welsh (Fr.) – 174 pounds


One of two true freshmen in Ohio State’s “starting lineup”, Welsh came on like a freight train after Carson Kharchla’s unfortunate injury, earning himself a 5-seed for this tournament. He quickly racked up 17 wins, and gave the best 174-pounders in the Big Ten all they could handle, dropping matches to conference opponents ranked No. 3, 4, and 1 nationally — by a combined 4 points! If Welsh can score at least one minor upset, look for him to chase a podium finish (top-3).

Ryder Rogotzke (Fr.) – 184 pounds


All gas, no breaks, Rogotzke is always looking to pin somebody. Easier said than done at the Big Ten Championships, but OSU’s other true freshman phenom (rightfully) earned a 4-seed with his late-season performance. Interestingly enough, Rogotzke could end up facing his brother in Maryland, as Roman (Rogotzke) competes at 184 for the Indiana Hoosiers.

Luke Geog (R-Fr.) – 197 pounds


Geog went 5-1 in conference duals, earning the 6-seed at 197. And although he has yet to notch a win over a ranked B1G opponent, Geog did defeat Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith early in the season, who was ranked No. 14 at the time. The 197 class is not as stacked as it has been in years past, so perhaps the local, homegrown Buckeye can make a run.

Nick Feldman (R-Fr.) – 285 pounds/Heavyweight


Feldman heads to Maryland as a 2-seed, thanks to his 8-1 Big Ten dual record and a victory over Michigan’s Lucas Davison, who is ranked higher nationally but lost to his Scarlet and Gray rival during the regular season. Conversely, the Buckeye big man is seeded behind Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet Penn State, who defeated Feldman via major decision in early February. But if the latter finds a way to defeat Kerkvliet – or somehow avoids him – then Feldman could run away with the heavyweight crown.

Continue reading...

LGHL Ohio State’s women’s hockey team battles Minnesota-Duluth on Friday in a WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal

Ohio State’s women’s hockey team battles Minnesota-Duluth on Friday in a WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Championship

Photo by Justin Berl/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Buckeyes will look to continue their recent dominance over the Bulldogs.

Before the NCAA Tournament begins next week, Ohio State’s women’s hockey team will take the ice in Minneapolis in the WCHA Final Faceoff against Minnesota-Duluth. The winner of the first semifinal between the Buckeyes and the Bulldogs will go on to face the winner of the second semifinal between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The Buckeyes have made the finals of the annual conference tournament in each of the last four seasons, going on to win the conference title twice.

Ohio State enters the semifinals as the top-ranked team in the country, posting a 31-3 record, outscoring their opponents 179-44. Nadine Muzerall’s team had no issue in the quarterfinals against Bemidji State, outscoring the Beavers 18-1 in the two-game sweep.

The Buckeyes opened up the best-of-three series by scoring three goals in the first 5:48 of Friday’s game. Cayla Barnes and Jenna Buglioni each scored two goals in the blowout victory.

Saturday’s game had a similar start, as Ohio State scored three goals in the first 11:23 of the game. Jennifer Gardiner scored two goals, Buglioni added a goal and an assist, while Joy Dunne and Kiara Zanon each recorded three points. Goaltender Raygan Kirk earned an easy shutout, only having to stop nine shots from Bemidji State, notching her seventh shutout of the season.

In six games this season, Ohio State outscored the Beavers 52-4.


The 2023-24 WCHA Goaltending Champion (best goals against average in league play) is Ohio State netminder Raygan Kirk with a 1.02 GAA this season! pic.twitter.com/LiQwFdu6NJ

— WCHA Hockey (@WCHA_WHockey) March 6, 2024

Now Ohio State will turn their attention to Minnesota-Duluth, who the Buckeyes defeated in all four of their meetings during the regular season. Early in the season, Ohio State took on the Bulldogs at their rink, sweeping the two games 5-2 on October 13, followed by a 2-0 win the following day.

In the first meeting of the season between the teams, Hadley Hartmetz was the star, netting her first career hat trick in the victory. In the second game, Emma Peschel and Hannah Bilka scored second-period goals, while Kirk stopped all 16 shots she faced.

The teams met in Columbus in January, with the Buckeyes earning two hard-fought shutout wins on their home ice. Kelsey King, Joy Dunne, and Kenzie Hauswirth scored goals in the 3-0 win on January 19, as Kirk again blanked the Bulldogs. The next day Hannah Bilka’s power play goal at the 15:42 mark of the third period was the only tally in the game. Amanda Thiele was between the pipes for Ohio State in the game, stopping all 18 shots she saw.


It's a Dunne deal @joyv_dunne is this year's WCHA Rookie of the Year! #GoBucks | https://t.co/gjAYnRwAQy pic.twitter.com/hCoDsQ9crk

— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) March 6, 2024

Even though Ohio State won all four of the meetings between the teams in the regular season, Minnesota-Duluth isn’t a team the Buckeyes can sleep on. The Bulldogs won 20 games this season, outscoring opponents 88-52.

Reece Hunt is the team’s leading scorer, netting 18 goals and dishing out 16 assists. Hunt was the star of the 5-0 win by the Bulldogs over St. Cloud State in the first game of the WCHA Quarterfinals, scoring a goal and being credited with four assists. Mannon McMahon sits just behind Hunt, scoring 13 goals and tallying 17 assists this season. McMahon scored both goals in the 2-0 win over St. Cloud State on Saturday.

Much like the Buckeyes, Minnesota-Duluth has a duo of goaltenders who have been tough to get pucks past so far this season. Both Eve Garson and Hailey MacLeod have six shutouts this year, and enter the semifinal against the Buckeyes with at least a .950 save percentage. MacLeod has 11 wins on the season, two more than Garson, while her 1.06 goals against average is a little lower than the 1.52 goals against average Garson has posted.

The semifinal battle between Ohio State and Minnesota-Duluth will be the latest in a string of high-profile matchups between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs over the last few years.

Back in 2021, Ohio State beat Minnesota-Duluth 7-2 in the WCHA semifinals and then was beaten by Wisconsin in the conference final. The next season, Ohio State beat the Bulldogs 3-2 in the NCAA Championship Game, clinching the first national title in program history for the Buckeyes. Last season, Ohio State again beat Minnesota-Duluth in the WCHA semis before falling to Minnesota in the conference championship game.

The winner of Friday’s semifinal between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs will go on to meet the winner of the second semifinal on Friday between the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The WCHA Championship Game will take place on Saturday afternoon at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. No matter how the action plays out in the WCHA Final Faceoff, expect Ohio State to be hosting regional action before the semifinals and championship game are held in New Hampshire later in March.


What: No. 1 Ohio State vs. Minnesota-Duluth
Day: Friday, March 8
Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+​


Continue reading...

LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Breaking down the Buckeyes’ wins this week, and is it time to talk tournament?

Bucketheads Podcast: Breaking down the Buckeyes’ wins this week, and is it time to talk tournament?
justingolba
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State will need to beat Rutgers on Sunday to have a chance, but if they do, the conversation can get real

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.



Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio



On episode 108 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin discuss more Buckeye wins! Ohio State beat Nebraska and Michigan this week, and are now 4-1 in the Jake Diebler era. So, how are they doing it? And what is the Buckeye's realistic path to the NCAA Tournament?

What have been the biggest changes since the coaching change? And what is going on with Michigan right now? And finally, is there any real chance that Diebler can coach his way into the head coaching job next year?

And at the end, we discuss why or why not Jake Diebler should be truly in the running for the head coaching job.

Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!



Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter:
@BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter:
@justin_golba

Continue reading...

Filter

Back
Top