Five-star CB from Florida adds Ohio State offer
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Desmond Ricks | Parker Thune, 247Sports

The Buckeyes dished out their latest schloarship offer to the top-ranked player in the 2024 recruiting class.

Head coach Ryan Day and Ohio State had their sights set on the Sunshine State on Tuesday as they sent out their latest offer. Plus, one of the top quarterbacks in the class is set to make his way to Columbus this weekend.

Ricks adds Buckeye offer


Ohio State went to a familiar territory for the latest offer that was sent out on Tuesday. The program dropped an offer to 2024 five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks, a Virginia native that attends IMG Academy (FL).


The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder is now up to 33 scholarship offers as a prospect and has the top programs in the country battling for his services. Among the schools that have already offered the MaxPreps Sophomore All-American include Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, and many more.

Ricks is currently projected to wind up in Tallahassee to suit up for Seminoles at the next level, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball. However, the Buckeyes are hoping to throw a wrench into things and pair the elite defensive back with newly hired cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Sunshine State standout currently stands at the top in his class rankings across the board, which comes as no surprise when looking at the teams in pursuit of the former track star.

It is worth mentioning that the Buckeyes have had success in recent years with IMG Academy prospects. Ohio State has added Malik Barrow, Lejond Cavazos, Tyler Gerald, Isaiah Pryor, Taron Vincent, and Marcus Williamson from the Ascenders program in previous classes.

Moore set to visit OSU


From one elite prospect to another for the Buckeyes. According to a tweet from Eleven Warriors' Garrick Hodge, 2023 five-star quarterback Dante Moore of Martin Luther King (MI) is planning to make a stop to Columbus this weekend to visit Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have been in pursuit of Moore dating back to June of last year when they initially offered the Detroit native. The visit this weekend will not be the first trip to see Ohio State for Moore as the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder was in town this past October to watch the contest between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.


Moore is presently pegged as the No. 6 overall prospect in this year's class and the third highest graded quarterback. While Ohio State is likely running behind in the race for Moore, if they find a way to reel in the Michigan standout it would come as a major win with Moore being the top-ranked player in the state.

Quick Hits

• 247Sports' Allen Trieu casted a Crystal Ball prediction on Tuesday in favor of Ohio State for four-star safety Malik Hartford of Lakota West (OH). Trieu joins 247Sports analysts Bill Kurelic and Steve Wiltfong in expecting the fourth-best prospect from Ohio to ultimately chose the Buckeyes.
• According to Eleven Warriors, four-star defensive lineman AJ Hoffler of Woodward Academy (GA) knows that Ohio State (and Clemson) will receive one of his official visits. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder was on campus this past weekend checking out his "dream school" and spent plenty of time with defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

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Play Like a Girl podcast: If you gave an Oscar for March Madness...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Plus, etiquette for rescinding retirement gifts and how to keep your brackets going all year round.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Jami and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Welcome back! This week combined two of Meredith and Jami’s favorite things: brackets and award shows. What better way to recap the chaos of the first two weeks of the NCAA Tournament than with an Academy Awards of sorts? From Best Original Score to a Lifetime Achievement Award we don’t even have to guess at, there’s been plenty of Oscar-worthy performances en route to the Final Four.

And if you’re sad that the season of bracket-making is behind us, never fear: Jami and Meredith offer tips on other things you can bracket, including vacation destinations and french fry dipping sauces.


Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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You’re Nuts: Who is the greatest Buckeye villain?
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 Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

For many people, anybody that went to Ohio State is a villain. That sort of thing comes with the territory when you have one of the biggest and winningest athletic departments in the country. Fans of opposing teams will go so far as to think that Kirk Herbstreit or Joey Galloway are villains because they now work for ESPN, or others are going to look at athletic director Gene Smith as a villain because his job is to do all he can to maximize exposure and revenue for the Ohio State athletic department.

Then again, if you’re not hated, then you’re not doing something right. Nobody is passionately hating Nebraska basketball or Maryland football. Do you want to know why? Because they are usually parked at the bottom of the conference. If anything, people feel sorry for them. What fun is it to kick the losers while they are down? Well, there is an exception with Michigan. There is no wrong time to want to see the Wolverines fail. Michigan went 10 years in between wins against Ohio State on the football field and Buckeye fans still hated Michigan’s guts.

By this point, you are probably wondering where we are going with this. Meredith was on a trolley on St. Patrick’s Day and mentioned she was an Ohio State fan, which prompted someone to say, “I hate Aaron Craft!”. While to Ohio State fans, Aaron Craft is this adorable figure with the most pinch-able rosy red cheeks, to opposing fanbases it felt like Craft was at Ohio State for two decades torturing their team on a yearly basis. We are looking for other Buckeyes that we love but everyone else looks at as villains.

Today’s question: Who is the greatest Buckeye villain?

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: Evan Turner


I know, this answer probably seems super lazy since Turner’s nickname is, “The Villain”. Could I have gone with someone like Woody Hayes? Sure, but I was also like -7 years old when he coached his last game, so I didn’t really get to appreciate how much Ohio State fans loved him, and everyone else hated him. Buckeye football teams have been great over the last 25 years, there just isn’t one player that I feel is disliked quite like Turner.


Whenever Turner is mentioned, the first thing Ohio State fans (as well as Michigan fans) are going to think of is the game-winner he hit against Michigan in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament. That alone should be enough for Turner to never have to buy a drink in Columbus ever again. Turner opened up his 2009-10 season by becoming the first Big Ten player since 2001 to record a triple-double, and only the second Ohio State player to ever accomplish that feat, with Dennis Hopson being the other. Not only would not only win Big Ten Player of the Year that season, he was also named National Player of the Year before declaring for the NBA Draft and being selected with the second overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.

For those who aren’t Ohio State fans, it probably feels pretty easy to hate Turner. Not only did Turner have this funny voice which sounded a bit like he was huffing helium before he talked, even teammate Mark Titus had a bit of a feud with Turner during their time at Ohio State. If Turner was getting under Titus’ skin, imagine what he was doing to opposing fanbases. Fortunately Buckeye Nation won’t have to worry about the beef escalating, as Turner and Titus buried the hatchet before Turner’s jersey was retired in 2017.

Meredith’s answer: Aaron Craft


As Brett alluded to in his intro, when it comes to Buckeye villains, there’s really no one who comes close to Aaron Craft. While he was (and is) beloved by Ohio State fans the world across, there’s no love lost once you cross the border out of Buckeye Nation.

The most poignant example of the villainy of Craft came in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Buckeyes were the No. 2 seed in the West Region and were facing No. 10 Iowa State.

Craft would finish with 18 points on the night, but none were more critical than his three-pointer with the game tied and a half second left on the clock to secure the win for Ohio State in regulation. The shot was a dagger in the heart of Iowa State fans. The West had been a wild region that year with upsets galore, with four of the top seeds — Ohio State the lone exception — falling in the opening weekend.

Iowa State had mounted a furious comeback after being down by as much as 13 late in the game, and the Cyclones had momentum, especially when it came to shooting beyond the arc. The shot by Craft (which he made over 6-foot-7 Georges Niang) was like getting beat by their own medicine.

Moreover, Craft was a 30% three-point shooter on the season. He hadn’t attempted a three-point shot before his game winner. It also doesn’t help that the shot itself was, simply, awkward. In short, his winning shot from range was unexpected.

Even today, Iowa State fans hold the Ohio State basketball program in contempt. We’re approaching a decade since Craft’s shot, but his name still elicits groans among Cyclone nation.

But the thing is, it’s not just Iowa State. Recently, a friend who cheers for Tennessee shared that Volunteer fans also hang onto their dislike of Craft for his role in an illegal barbecue hosted by then-coach Bruce Pearl in 2010. For the record, Craft was seen in a photograph at said event, which ultimately led to Pearl’s termination.

Living in the bubble of Ohio State fans, it’s hard to see what the vitriol against Craft is all about, but on the outside, I suppose it makes sense: He’s an aggressive defender; he’s undersized; he shouldn’t be that good — it’s probably annoying to opposing teams and fans. Moreover, when someone like that is the one who puts the dagger on what should have been a Cinderella season, it’s easy to label that the villain origin story.

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Five questions for the Ohio State men’s basketball team this offseason
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What are the main question marks the hoops team have to address this season?

After defeating Loyola-Chicago and then falling in the round of 32 to the now final four bound Villanova Wildcats, the Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball teams season is now over.


With April approaching and March Madness basically in the rearview mirror, it is time for the hoops team to start thinking about the future. What will the roster construct look like? When will the freshman be impact players? Which one of the nearly 1,000 transfers in the portal should the coaching staff target? All of these are questions that need to be answered as head coach Chris Holtmann and his staff face an important season coming up.

The difference between Ohio State being a top-five team in the conference again and having a rebuilding season comes down to how they handle the next six months, as is the case with a lot of teams.

Here are the five main questions the staff and team must answer if they want next season to be a productive one.

Who comes back?

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

First of all, for the Buckeyes, they could be facing a max exodus. The Buckeyes have nine seniors in the program and have already lost E.J. Liddell to the draft and could lose star freshman Malaki Branham as well, although that decision is likely far down the road. They have five freshmen coming in, but that still leaves possibly five or six spots to fill.

The problem that the staff could face is preparing for all potential outcomes. Justice Sueing and Seth Towns have a year of eligibility left that they could utilize, but even if the two seniors and Branham all decide to return, the bucks could still have three spots to fill.

However, they might not get all of these answers for a couple of months and the transfers in the portal are not going to sit around and wait. The staff now has the tricky job of juggling decisions with their current guys with trying to get commitments from some of the top transfers, none of whom will be on the market for too long.

Additions from the transfer portal

Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As mentioned above, the transfer portal is becoming an increasingly important way that teams reload their rosters after the season and once their recruiting classes are official. One of the big questions that coaches face since there are so many players in the portal is do they go after straight-up talent or do they try to pick pieces to fit on their team? Last season, Ohio State picked up needed pieces, but all in all, minus a few solid moments, the transfers they brought in underperformed.

So do the Buckeyes go after needed fits again or just elite talent like an Andre Curbelo? The Illinois transfer is not the best fit to what the Buckeyes likely need next season, but he is one of the top overall talents in the portal and is a high-risk, high-reward guy.

Personally, I want them to get some serious talent and figure out how to make it work from there. Let the coaches do their job with the best possible players.

Coaching changes

Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chris Holtmann has put together a phenomenal coaching staff during his time at Ohio State and it has shown with the attention that his assistants have gotten from other schools. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, this season that attention was more than just attention. Holtmann’s right-hand man and top assistant coach Ryan Pedon has moved onto greener pastures, accepting his first head coaching job at Illinois State and first-year assistant coach Tony Skinn is heading back to the DMV to be an assistant coach under Kevin Willard at Maryland.

There are still some great coaches on the staff and Holtmann has done a particularly good job of replacing assistants in the past, but Pedon leaves the biggest hole that he has ever had to fill. The Buckeyes love Jake Diebler and Holtmann has been vocal about wanting to add Greg Oden to the staff full time once he graduates. Look for the Buckeyes to make some sizable coaching additions over the next few months.

Other conference team questions

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Even though there were questions all season about how good the teams in the Big Ten actually were, there was no denying the conference’s individual talent.

Guys like Keegan Murray, Johnny Davis, Jaden Ivey, E.J. Liddell (sad), Hunter Dickinson, and Kofi Cockburn are all going to be heading to the NBA Draft; also B1G teams are losing some of their old guys like Jordan Bohannan, Brad Davison and Kyle Young (again, sad).

The league will likely look a lot different come fall, especially with most of the top teams losing their best talent. The transfer portal and incoming freshmen should play a huge role this season, likely benefitting the Buckeyes since they have the top recruiting class in the conference.

Incoming freshman class

Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes have one of their best-recruiting classes coming to Columbus in a long time, but they will be put to the test immediately. As mentioned above, if Branham, Sueing and/or Towns come back, there will be less pressure on these guys to perform immediately, but if those three all move on — which they could — multiple freshmen will need to play 20-25 minutes at least as soon as they step foot on campus.

Freshmen playing right away can be a good or a bad thing. This is a great class overall, but none of these guys are five-star, top-tier recruits. Malaki Branham was fantastic this season, but it even took him 10-12 games to really get his feet wet. The Buckeyes will need to add some veterans from the portal if Sueing and Towns do not come back and/or aren’t able to contribute right away, otherwise, it will be tough to expect much from the freshmen early on.

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Column: Harry Miller shines spotlight on mental health discussion in collegiate athletics
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Harry Miller’s retirement statement and message on Good Morning America brought attention to an alarming problem in the college sports world.

On March 10, Harry Miller announced that he was medically retiring from football. This was not a result of a physical injury, as he made this decision citing mental health reasons. His message has been shared all over the world, and it is an extremely important one. The current state of college athletes’ mental health needs to be addressed, and cannot be ignored anymore.

Miller might be the person you least expect to hear struggling with mental health issues. He was a starter on the Ohio State football team. He carries a 4.0 GPA as a student in the College of Engineering. After the NIL laws were passed, he raised money to help kids in Nicaragua. Based on all of this, it sounds like he is thriving, right?

That is where the problem lies. It is never okay to make assumptions about how a person is doing mentally. In reality, Miller revealed to head coach Ryan Day that he had planned to take his own life prior to the start of last season. Day immediately put him in contact with mental health professionals to give him the necessary support.


Miller is yet another example that athletes are just people. He said that he has received hateful messages, that other athletes have even gotten death threats... and for what? Dropping a pass? Missing a block? Not making a tackle? This goes way beyond football, or any sport for that matter. Football is not who these kids are, it is what they do. The majority of these athletes won’t even go on to play professionally. There is more to their lives than a sport.

A tragic story that happened just in the past month is the death of star Stanford goalkeeper, Katie Meyer. The soccer captain, who was a National Champion and destined to have a great future in the sport, took her own life on March 1. Based off her social media, one would never suspect that she was struggling.

People have become way too good about hiding how they’re truly feeling. College athletes aren’t the exception. These men and women need to know that their value doesn't come based off their athletic performance or their grades. Yes, they need to be checked on. More resources need to go toward ensuring athletes’ mental well-being.

The pressure that athletes have placed on them is insurmountable and totally uncalled for. Kids as young as middle school are being pushed to their limits in order to earn a scholarship. Once they get to college, they’re already burnt out and struggling after basing their whole lives off of their athletic success.

Enough is enough. When student-athletes say that they are struggling, they need to be heard and supported. This problem cannot be swept under the rug any longer. The old rule of how athletes are tough and should push aside their feelings is outdated and frankly, idiotic. The weight of the world is on these kids shoulders, and they need to be relieved.

Words are impactful. Coaches and other team members need to realize how much they can impact a player. Athletes need to know that they are supported no matter if they succeed or fail. Fans and those on social media must keep this in mind too. At the end of the day, sports are just a game. They aren’t life or death, so athletes shouldn’t be treated as if they are.


Resources need to be redirected to keeping multiple mental health professionals on every sports team, and providing any support possible. Perhaps teams can scale back a bit on the 10 different uniform combinations and wild locker rooms for a more important cause. I’m all for spoiling athletes — they deserve it after their hard work. But, mental health must come first.

We are all in this race called life. Let’s not make it harder on anyone than we need to. I’m so thankful that Harry Miller is still with us today, and had the bravery to go public about his mental health battles. Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, but quite the opposite. The strength it takes for one to admit he/she needs support is admirable.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for March 29, 2022
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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On the Gridiron


Ohio State’s Evan Pryor hopes to have ‘big role’ as redshirt freshman with Buckeyes
- Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Are Ohio State’s second-year defensive linemen about to take over?
- Tom Orr, Buckeye Scoop

How healthy Taron Vincent can build off breakout Rose Bowl for Buckeyes ($$)
- Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Transfer safety Tanner McCalister is officially a Buckeye...


Jack Sawyer plans on making “huge jump” ahead of sophomore season at Ohio State
- Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

As Ohio State’s young defensive line arrives, Tyler Friday’s veteran voice returns
- Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com

Ohio State spring football notes: Why Tyleik Williams should play more, what separates Marvin Harrison Jr. ($$)
- Bill Landis, The Athletic

Mitchell Melton earns Silver Bullet of the Day on Monday...


Tyleik Williams has dropped 40 pounds, feels much quicker
- Chase Brown, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

College football top 25 rankings: One game every team has circled in 2022
- Brad Crawford, Bucknuts

Kyion Grayes ready to join loaded wide receivers room
- Coby Maeir, The Lantern

On the Hardwood


Senior guard Taylor Mikesell to return to Ohio State for 2022-23 season
- Thomas Costello, LGHL

Chris Holtmann promotes assistant Jake Diebler as staff undergoes makeover
- Andrew Lind, Sports Illustrated

Ohio State sophomore guard Kateri Poole enters transfer portal
- Braden Moles, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

A 6-foot-7 former four-star transfer interested in Ohio State...

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Olympic Recap: Ohio State with national champions galore
- Chase Brown, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

Women’s Tennis: Ratliff continues dominant freshman season
- Kyle Bucklew, The Lantern

Wrapping up the historic season for the Ohio State women’s hockey team
- Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL

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Ohio State adds a ton more spring visits
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes again add to their spring visitor list, as well as offer a rising 2025 Georgia linebacker.

We may be months off from Ohio State’s next football season, but football never stops for the Buckeyes as there is always work to do on and off the field. The team is in the thick of spring practices, and is seemingly playing host to multiple blue-chip prospects every week. This trend continued Monday, as the Buckeyes added more future visits for this spring, and also sent out an early offer to a 2025 Georgia linebacker.

Ohio State’s spring visitor list is huge


April is one of the busiest months in the Ohio State football schedule — despite no games taking place. The team has already completed multiple spring practice sessions and more will continue this month.

Midway through the month, the Buckeyes will host their annual Spring Game and will play host to a large group of recruits. The weekend creates one of the greatest recruiting landscapes in the nation, with tens of thousands of Buckeye faithful showing up to cheer on the team months before the regular season begins.

The Spring Game is always a spectacle and because of the massive size of the recruiting event, prospects from around the country are already planning visits to Columbus for that weekend, as well as other weekends. On Monday, another handful of recruits announced plans for visits this month. Below are some of those recruits:

Five-star ATH Quinton Martin


Class: 2025
Hometown: Belle Vernon, PA / Belle Vernon
Size: 6-foot-2 / 180 pounds
Offers: Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Pitt, West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, etc.

Four-star ATH Rodney Gallagher


Class: 2023
Hometown: Uniontown, PA / Laurel Highlands
Size: 5-foot-10, 160 pounds
Offers: Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Pitt, Louisville, Houston, Iowa State, Texas, etc.

Three-star LB S’Maje Burrell


Class: 2023
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX / North Crowley
Size: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Offers: Ohio State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Arizona State, Florida, Florida State, USC, Houston, Utah, etc.

OT Mason Short


Class: 2025
Hometown: Evans, GA / Evans
Size: 6-foot-7, 280 pounds
Offers: Louisville, Minnesota, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern

Ohio State offers freshman LB


Ohio State is one of the best in the nation when it comes to recruiting. The team is consistently bringing in top-tier talent every year, and one of the reasons why the program has been so successful in getting blue-chip prospects to commit is its ability to build relationships early in the recruiting cycle.

The Buckeyes were able to once again do this Monday, as the team offered one of the most talented high school freshmen in the country in 2025 Georgia linebacker Zayden Walker.

While only a freshman, Walker has already started racking up an impressive offer sheet that now boasts teams like Ohio State, Florida State, Georgia, LSU and NC State. He has also been able to complete unofficial visits with both Georgia and Florida State. Being from SEC country, Ohio State will need to get multiple visits for them to stand a chance.

While it will be tough for the Buckeyes to pry Walker out of the south, establishing a relationship with him this early in his recruitment should help them remain contenders for a large portion of his recruitment, if not all of it.

Walker has not yet received a star ranking from 247Sports, but when recruiting databases start ranking the 2025 class, expect Walker to be near the top.

Quick Hits

• 2023 four-star safety and Ohio State priority target Joel Aguero showed Ohio State some love on Monday. Aguero is currently favored to commit to Georgia, but Ohio State has made him one of their top defensive targets and hosted him on a visit recently that seems to have left quite an impression on him and his family.

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Senior guard Taylor Mikesell to return to Ohio State for 2022-23 season
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After being on the fence between returning and declaring WNBA draft eligibility, Mikesell chose another year in Scarlet & Gray

Monday afternoon, with just hours until the cutoff to declare for the WNBA Draft, Ohio State guard Taylor Mikesell made it official. The Ohio native has decided to exercise her extra year of eligibility and will return to the Scarlet and Gray for the 2022-23 season.


There was speculation that the senior might make the jump to the professional ranks following the best season of her collegiate career. After all, the shooting guard is a finalist for the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award for the best shooting guard in the nation and was at, or near, the top of the best three-point shooters in the NCAA throughout the season.

In 32 games, Mikesell averaged 18.625 points per game totaling 596 points on the year. Both are career highs after playing two seasons with the Maryland Terrapins and a third with the Oregon Ducks before joining the Buckeyes.

Mikesell also had her highest percentage shooting season in four years, hitting 48.2% on field goals and 47.5% from beyond the arc. The Ohio-native received word of her eligibility to play in Columbus just three days before the season began last fall. Mikesell’s eligibility was crucial, averaging the second-highest points per game total on the Ohio State roster.

With her addition for the 2021-22 season, an Ohio State side that lost two forwards to the transfer portal and their starting point guard to a season-ending injury added a much-needed, prolific scoring threat. Mikesell’s 2021-22 campaign turned into individual and team accolades.

Throughout the season, Mikesell received three Big Ten Honor Roll recognitions for her outstanding play. At the end of the campaign, the B1G coaches and media named Mikesell to the All-B1G First Team. The biggest hardware though was Ohio State’s regular-season B1G Co-Championship; an unexpected achievement with the Buckeyes behind Maryland, the Indiana Hoosiers, and Michigan Wolverines in the AP Poll for the entire season.

The threat that Mikesell presented opposing defenses opened things up for her teammates, especially her backcourt mate Jacy Sheldon. The guard led Ohio State in scoring on the season with 19.7 points per game. Also, it relieved pressure from other OSU starters like Rebeka Mikulasikova who started all 32 games after starting just one during her first two seasons with Ohio State.

With Mikesell’s announcement, the Buckeyes have gotten a shot of adrenaline going into the offseason. Mikesell’s return makes Ohio State a destination for potential transfer targets too. The Scarlet and Gray were three points away from reaching their first Elite Eight since 1993, on a team that head coach Kevin McGuff heralded as the most fun he’s had coaching in 20 seasons.

Ohio State will lose senior forwards Braxtin Miller and Tanaya Beacham, but outside of their graduation-induced exits, the Buckeyes bring back much of the core that helped them hoist the championship trophy this season.

If that chemistry and sense of fun continues into the 2022-23 season, it should be an interesting year of competition in the B1G.

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• 2023 four-star safety and Ohio State priority target Joel Aguero showed Ohio State some love on Monday. Aguero is currently favored to commit to Georgia, but Ohio State has made him one of their top defensive targets and hosted him on a visit recently that seems to have left quite an impression on him and his family.

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Maryland Terrapins’ defensive end Demeioun Robinson entered the transfer portal Monday, 247Sports has learned. Robinson is a former 247Sports Composite four-star recruit out of Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard. He was also the No. 68 ranked overall player and the No. 4-ranked edge rusher in the recruiting class of 2021. As a true freshman in 2021, Robinson appeared in all 13 games, making one start. He totaled 19 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Robinson took to Twitter to announce his decision Monday afternoon.

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Ohio State held its 2022 Pro Day on Wednesday, and despite combine-type events being accurately described as the underwear Olympics, this was an important football experience for the 10 players participating (maybe even 11, if NFL teams wanted to get an early look at C.J. Stroud). Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson had very little to prove, but were able to work out – more so than simply running a few gauntlet drills – in front of NFL personnel, with all eyes focused on them.

Guys like Thayer Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere were given an opportunity to improve their draft stock, and Master Teague, Antwuan Jackson, and others set out to prove that they deserve a shot in the NFL. Jeremy Ruckert sat this one out due to injury, but old friend and Buckeye legend Cardale Jones also participated, in case anybody needs a CFP-winning quarterback or a football thrown through drywall... because 12 Gauge still has the howitzer.

Over 100 staff members from all 32 NFL teams were present for OSU’s Pro Day, showing a certain level of admiration and respect for what the program has done over the last few decades. It also goes to show how highly touted certain Buckeyes are, and have been, going into recent drafts. Lovie Smith, head coach of the Houston Texans, was in attendance, sparking the idea (albeit far-fetched) that a Buckeye WR could be in play at pick #3. The Texans have much bigger needs, but thanks to the Deshaun Watson trade, they also have plenty of draft capital to burn. If they feel like Wilson or Olave is one of the most talented players in the draft, why not spend their found money? Houston also has the 13th pick, which is a much more likely scenario. Ohio State’s own Mike Vrabel and the Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera were the other head coaches in attendance.

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Results were mixed, as one would expect, with Teague impressing the most among those who did athletic drills. Olave, Wilson, and Stroud appeared as if they have been practicing together daily since the Rose Bowl, and there were some cool teaching moments when Vrabel got involved with the linemen. After all was said and done (Wednesday night), Ryan Day tweeted out many of the results and added a personal message for each player. He certainly didn’t have to. Those guys are hopefully on their way to leaving Columbus and having successful NFL careers, and Day has a different roster and a new season to worry about. But his desire and willingness to show appreciation for each player one more time – along with his handling of the recent Harry Miller situation and so much more – is yet another reason why he is the guy Ohio State fans should want in Columbus for a very long time.

Al Michaels will be on Amazon now. He signed a three year deal for $10 mil/year. He will be joined by BP’s favorite Buckeye - Kirk Herbstreit (wtf??), who will also still do gameday. Al Michaels will also do a playoff game for NBC.

Mike Tirico will take over for Michaels on NBC. Herbie’s deal is rumored to be 8 figures.

Troy Aikman and Joe Buck will be doing MNF on ESPN. Aikman signed a five year deal worth $90 mill. Haven’t seen the details of Buck’s contract, but it is said that they’re paying them around $30 mill/year for the pair of them.

Firstly, why is Amazon sinking $20 mill/year into Thursday Night Football’s announcers? Insanity.

Secondly, more than half the country is living paycheck to paycheck and these dudes can all go get fucked.

Bestbuck36 said:

I know he's a big defensive guy and was supposedly instrumental on the recruiting trail but haven't heard much else during the season.

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If our defense is anything to go by this year.. He was not great defensively. But hopefully we can keep up the recruiting momentum

“I felt like we were more robotic than basketball players,” Jackson-Davis said. “I feel like Coach Woodson’s really going to let the leashes off and let us actually play.”

How’s that working out for ya?

Ohio State’s women’s hockey team eyes first trip to NCAA title game
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 Justin Berl/NCAA Photos/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Buckeyes will take on Yale on Friday night in a Frozen Four semifinal with a trip to Sunday’s title game at stake.

The dream season for Ohio State’s women’s hockey team continues on Friday when they take on Yale in one of the Frozen Four semifinals at Pegula Ice Arena in State College, PA. The Buckeyes earned their third Frozen Four appearance in program history when they outlasted Quinnipiac on Saturday in Columbus, earning the victory thanks to a goal a couple minutes into the second overtime of the game by Clair DeGeorge.

Saturday’s contest against Quinnipiac started out on a familiar note for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes gave up the first goal of the game, marking the third game in a row that Ohio State has faced an early deficit. After Quinnipiac scored 8:26 into the first period, Ohio State responded with less than a minute left in the period. The Buckeyes took advantage of the power play, as Riley Bergman netted her fourth goal of the season to even the score.

Ohio State would again benefit from having an extra skater early in the second period. Clair DeGeorge scored her first goal of the game and 14th goal of the season at the 4:30 mark of the second period. The lead wouldn’t last long though, as Quinnipiac tied the game just over two minutes after the goal from DeGeorge.

The game would go into the third period tied before Sophie Jaques found the back of the net for the 21st time this season 2:05 into the period. The Buckeyes would hold that lead for most of the third period but Quinnipiac not only used a power play, but they also pulled their goalie to get an extra skater on the ice. The 6-on-4 advantage allowed the Bobcats to force overtime when they scored at the 18:38 mark.

The teams would go through the first 20-minute extra session with no goals before the Buckeyes secured their trip to the Frozen Four thanks to DeGeorge’s second goal of the game. The game-winner came on Ohio State’s 77 shot of the game. By comparison, Quinnipiac only was able to put 22 shots on goal. The goal by Ohio State was the 170th of the season by the Buckeyes, which is the most in the country.

Now Ohio State will try and earn their first championship game appearance, but to get there they’ll have to defeat the Yale Bulldogs, who are making their first-ever Frozen Four appearance. In fact, this was the first time that Yale has ever made the NCAA Tournament. To get to the Frozen Four, the Bulldogs defeated Colgate 2-1 in overtime. Yale got a bit of revenge on Colgate after the Raiders defeated the Bulldogs the previous week in the ECAC Championship Game.

The Buckeyes and Bulldogs have met three previous times, with Ohio State holding a 2-1 edge in the series. The past meetings don’t mean a whole lot though, as the first came in 1999 and the other two were back in 2005. The Buckeyes will hope to have the same type of success against Yale as they did against Quinnipiac, who they also hadn’t played in over 10 years.

Ohio State will look to Sophie Jaques to continue to lead them in their quest for the program’s first national title. With her goal on Saturday, Jaques recorded her 59th point of the season, tying Emma Maltais for the most in a season in program history. The skills Jaques has shown on not only the defensive end, but the offensive end as well is what has made the Buckeyes so tough to slow down.

Even though she wasn’t tested nearly as much as her counterpart in goal on Saturday, Amanda Thiele made the big saves when she had to against Quinnipiac. Thiele enters Friday’s game with a 16-3 record this year. The goalie from Michigan has a .940 save percentage this year, with a 1.29 goals-against average. The three goals Thiele allowed against the Bobcats were the second-most she has allowed in a game this season.

Ohio State and Yale will drop the puck on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Pegula Ice Arena in State College. Unlike on the men’s side where Ohio State and Penn State are conference foes, the women’s team plays in the CHA. Neither Ohio State or Yale played Penn State this year, so this will be their first trip to the arena in the 2021-22 season. The winner will move on to Sunday afternoon’s final to play the winner of Northeastern and Minnesota-Duluth

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Instant Recap Podcast: Ohio State takes down Sister Jean’s Loyola-Chicago
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Survive and advance.

Following every Ohio State football and select basketball games, LGHL will be bringing you an instant recap and analysis breaking down the game and previewing what’s next for the Buckeyes.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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Contrary to popular belief amongst Ohio State followers, the No. 7 seeded Ohio State Buckeyes are moving on in the NCAA tournament after taking down No. 10 seed Loyola-Chicago Ramblers 54-41 on Friday afternoon behind a surprising and impressive defensive effort from Ohio State

The “Bucketheads” podcast co-host Justin Golba gives his thoughts and analysis on the game at hand and what he saw from the Buckeyes at PPG Paints Arena on Friday.

Also, what comes next for the Buckeyes? They will face the winner of No. 2 Villanova and No. 15 Delaware on Sunday at a time to be determined.

Sorry, Sister Jean.


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Connect with Justin Golba
Twitter: @Justin_Golba

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Ohio State puts clamps on Loyola-Chicago for 54-41 win in NCAA Men’s Tournament
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

In a tough, defensively focused matchup, the Buckeyes won an extremely important game for the future of the program.

After losing four of their final five games of the season, including their first game in the Big Ten Tournament against Penn State, Ohio State (20-11, 12-8) was in the very least glad to have a full week off to get healthy. The Buckeyes were playing without a full deck of cards for several weeks, as Kyle Young (concussion), Zed Key (ankle), and Meechie Johnson (ankle) had all missed multiple games recently due to injuries. Additionally, expected starter Justice Sueing (groin/abdominal) has missed 29 straight games, and Seth Towns (back) was ruled out for the season in February.

On Friday, Chris Holtmann’s squad took a big step in the right direction to get healthy with Young, Key, and Johnson all being cleared (Johnson was cleared for the Penn State game but didn’t play) to play in today’s opening-round NCAA Tournament game against the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers.

With Loyola being one of the worst rebounding teams in the NCAA Tournament, getting both Young and Key back in time for today’s game was crucial to give the Buckeyes a chance at what many people would call an upset. The betting line heading into the game was even — despite Ohio State being the higher seed — and just 52% of all Tournament Challenge brackets on ESPN had Ohio State beating the lower-seeded Ramblers.

Chris Holtmann went with a starting lineup of Jamari Wheeler, Malaki Branham, Gene Brown, E.J. Liddell, and the new guy Young at center; Zed Key came off the bench. First-year Loyola head coach Drew Valentine went with a starting five of Hilliard-native Braden Norris, Lucas Williamson, Tate Hall, Chris Knight, and Aher Uguak.

The Buckeyes got absolutely nothing going against Loyola-Chicago’s elite defense early on, with only two Liddell free throws showing up on the scoreboard by the first media timeout. Loyola’s guards were jumping passing lanes left and right, anticipating where Ohio State was going with it and affecting the Buckeyes’ ball movement. Just over four minutes into the game, the Ramblers led 5-2.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Buckeyes tied it up 11-11 by the under-8 timeout. Over the first 12 minutes, Ohio State shot 29% overall besting Loyola’s 28%. Both teams’ defenses were on point, but it’s no surprise that Loyola’s defense came to play. What was surprising was how connected OSU was on that end of the floor early in this game.


The Buckeyes carried a filthy 23-18 lead into halftime thanks to some impressive defense as well as 10 points from Branham, who led all scorers in the first half. The Buckeyes held Loyola to 23% shooting overall and held their two leading scorers to 2-of-10 combined shooting. Liddell had four points in the first half, but they were all at the free-throw line. Loyola did a great job walling him off and making it difficult to even get shots off.

The Buckeyes opened the second half on a 6-0 run, including Liddell’s first two buckets of the game. Valentine was forced to call a timeout at the 17:24 mark with his team trailing, 29-18. By the first media timeout at the 14:17 mark, Ohio State had opened up a 33-23 lead.

Ohio State pushed their lead to 14 at one point, but the Ramblers got a few buckets and were able to make it 37-26 by the under-12 media timeout. Johnson had a huge three, Liddell was starting to get it going, and the Buckeyes continued to force pretty much everyone except Norris into taking some very difficult shots.


Loyola was able to get the deficit down to single digits several times, but they couldn’t string enough buckets together to come back against an Ohio State defense was at its absolute best. When the final buzzer sounded, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a 54-41 opening-round victory over the Missouri Valley Conference Champions.

Loyola-Chicago was led by Norris’ 14 points on 5-13 shooting. Liddell paced the Buckeyes with 16 points and 10 rebounds. OSU led for the entire second half and never let the Ramblers get closer than eight points.


If you somehow weren’t around this afternoon to catch Ohio State’s big opening-round victory over Sister Jean’s Ramblers, here are a few key moments and plays that sent the Buckeyes straight to the second round:

Kyle Young with a dad dunk


Trailing 5-2 coming out of the first media timeout, Young received a dime pass from Branham on the left block and slammed it home, cutting the Ramblers’ early lead to one point and giving him his first bucket in 17 days. Young scored five of Ohio State’s first nine points and really kept his team afloat early on.

Young finished with nine points and seven rebounds over 35 minutes.

Schwieger gives Loyola the lead, Branham answers


Tied 9-9 with 7:38 remaining in the first half, Loyola’s Ryan Schwieger escaped on a fast break and laid it up, giving the Ramblers a two-point lead. On the ensuing Ohio State possession, Branham went solo and hit a step-back jumper near the free-throw line, tying it back up 11-11 with 7:13 to go until halftime.

Schwieger finished with eight points and six rebounds over 22 minutes.

Norris triple cuts it to three


Hilliard-native Braden Norris started the day 0-3 in the shooting department, but he got a clean look from the corner directly in front of Ohio State’s bench at the 4:45 mark of the first half and buried it. That triple cut Ohio State’s lead from six to three points, once again making it a one-possession game.

Branham FTs make it a nine-point lead


With just over two minutes left in the first half, Malaki Branham was bumped on a drive-by Lucas Williamson, and the foul was called on the floor. It was Loyola’s seventh, putting the Buckeyes in the bonus. Branham knocked down both FTs making it 23-14 Buckeyes — their largest lead of the game to that point.

Branham went on to finish with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals over 28 minutes.

E.J. sees one drop (finally)


After being held to four points on zero made shots in the first half, Liddell scored back-to-back buckets for the Buckeyes early in the second half, to push his team ahead by 11 points at the 17:24 mark. When Loyola called timeout, the Buckeyes held a 29-18 lead.

Liddell finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks over 35 minutes.

Meechie with a massive triple


Between injuries and inconsistent play, Johnson’s time on the floor has been pretty sporadic lately. He’d scored a combined two points over his last five games, and had not hit a three-pointer since February 21 against Indiana. Tonight, with Ohio State leading by an even 10 points, Johnson canned a three from right in front of Chris Holtmann to extend the Buckeyes’ lead to 36-23 with 13:38 remaining in the game.

Johnson finished with those three points and a rebound over 15 minutes.

Hall cuts the lead to single digits


The Ramblers spent much of the second half trailing, but with 10:48 remaining Hall was able to create space between himself and Liddell, stepping back and nailing a three-pointer just behind the line (it was reviewed, and confirmed a three later on). The Ohio State lead was cut to eight points, 37-29.

Hall finished with three points and two rebounds over 19 minutes.

Branham pushes the lead to 14, Norris answers


Just before the final media timeout, Branham slashed his way to the baseline and scored on a floater, giving Ohio State a 48-34 lead. But on the very next possession, Norris hit a Dirk-like stepback jumper from the free-throw line, getting Loyola back within a dozen. Ohio State led 48-36 at the final media timeout with 3:57 remaining.

Up Next:


Ohio State (20-11, 12-8) advances to play the winner of No. 2 Villanova and 15-seed Delaware, who play on Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh. The game time and channel for Ohio State’s second-round game are still to be announced, but the game will once again be played in PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

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Column: Today is a must-win game for Chris Holtmann, but not in the way you might think
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

With a top-five recruiting class, he’s not going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean another first round loss won’t have major implications.

I think that we’ve made it pretty clear over the years that we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are big fans of Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann. Speaking for just myself, I think that he is a very good coach, but equally importantly, I think that he is a great human being (please don’t make me regret putting that in print someday in the future, Coach).

Now, of course, I don’t think that being a great human being on its own should merit a coach’s continued employment. I do think that it matters to a not-insignificant degree, but that’s not what I’m here to argue with you about today. In fact, I don’t think that I’m here to argue with you at all, because, despite my genuine affection and appreciation for Holtmann, I think that things have become fairly clear for his tenure leading the men’s basketball program.


Today’s game against the No. 10 Loyola-Chicago is not a must-win for Holtmann to keep his job. He is bringing in the nation’s fifth-best recruiting after this season, and that alone warrants another year — or most likely two — at the helm for the Buckeyes, and given the transfer rate in men’s college basketball, if you don't understand why, I’m not sure that we have much else to discuss.

However, today’s game is still monumentally important for his tenure with the Buckeyes for other reasons. All season-long, Holtmann has been praising and thanking the fans that have shown up to the cavernous and ill-planned Schottenstein Center. He has credited them with providing support, motivation, and appreciation during some of the season’s most important moments. And while I think the Nuthouse is going to continue to do that no matter what, I am concerned about the rest of the Ohio State fanbase and how they would react should Holtmann’s Buckeyes get bounced by a double-digit seed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many years.

Given what we’ve seen from a subsection of OSU fans on Twitter over the years, and especially this season, it’s safe to say that a certain percentage of Buckeye Nation is not exactly 100% behind Holtmann. Now, normally, I tend to dismiss the loudest and most negative of our Buckeye brethren as just a glass-half-empty vocal minority, but this feels different to me.

Rather than the calls to fire Holtmann coming from the same venomous accounts that I easily mute and move on from, it feels like the apprehension about his stewardship of the program has begun to take hold amongst the not-perpetually-mad-online portion of the OSU population. And that’s where a game like today’s can be concerning.

I believe that some of Holtmann’s NCAA Tournament disappointments can be chalked up to bad luck; be they injury, matchup, or COVID-related, and that very well might come into play today, depending on whether Zed Key and Kyle Young are able to contribute at the levels that OSU needs them to.

But be it an excuse or a reason, the problem is that blaming “bad luck” can only explain away so much. So, since we expect Key and Young to both be active for the game — thanks to reporting by The Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy — if they play, even if not nearly 100%, I can’t see a certain percentage of OSU fans giving Holtmann yet another year of the benefit of the doubt. And unfortunately, I think that percentage is larger than anyone would like.

And while that won’t impact his job status, especially given Ohio State AD Gene Smith’s not-so-subtle defense of his coach on Twitter earlier this week, it very well might have an impact on his ability to be the best leader of the program.


Having a city like Columbus, and a fanbase like ours, behind you, is a big deal for a coach and their team. And while it is always dangerous to compare anything at Ohio State to the football program, even on a smaller scale for men’s basketball, we know the levels of fervor that Buckeye fans are capable of. If Holtmann loses a large swath of the fans due to another one-and-done tournament appearance, I think it could have multiple, significant impacts on the program.

You notice that I did not describe a potential loss to the Ramblers as an upset. That’s because DraftKings Sportsbook has the Ohio State-Loyola game as a pick ‘em. So, despite the Buckeyes being the higher seed, from the more dangerous conference, with one of the best players in the country, the oddsmakers think this game is a coin flip. Now, that surely has at least something to do with the uncertainty surrounding Key and Young, but I don’t think that this gambling distinction will assuage Buckeye fans’ feelings should a loss come to pass.

So, if a large number of fans further check out on the men’s basketball Buckeyes, how will that impact the vibe around the program? Will there be less of a buzz about Bruce Thornton, Felix Okpara, Roddy Gayle Jr., Brice Sensabaugh, and Bowen Hardman joining the team? Will that lead to them seeking greener pastures if their freshman campaigns don’t go according to plan?

If the MBB team loses a noticeable amount of fan support, will that hamper Holtmann’s ability to capitalize on his 2022 recruiting success? Will prospects be concerned that the coach in Columbus might not be there for the long haul if they commit?

Heck, does Holtmann get frustrated by the constant questioning from the fans (and trust me, if you’ve listened to his press conferences, it’s pretty clear that — while he won’t come straight out and say it — he hears it, and it bugs him) and decide to go find a program that might be more receptive to his leadership?

A fanbase’s loss of faith can be crippling for a coach in ways large and small. It eats away at the foundation of the program from both the outside and the inside. It can put an abrupt end to any momentum that the team has, it can cast doubt on everyone associated with the program, and — most damagingly — it can create ill-feelings all around.

Trust me, we do not want a 2022-23 season with “Should Chris Holtmann be fired?” as one of the major storylines, we don’t want to see the coach’s resentment boiling up during pressers, and we don’t want to see recruits distancing themselves from Ohio State because they can’t be certain if the coaches recruiting them will even be there for their freshman seasons.

Of course, in sports, winning is the greatest elixir of all. Win today against one of the most beloved — and widely picked — programs in recent tournament history, and it buys you some time. If you don’t, go into the offseason with questions from fans flying around from every direction and deal with the consequences that those questions bring along with them.

I like Chris Holtmann, I would like him to remain the coach at Ohio State for many years to come, so for that reason, today’s game is a must-win in my book.

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Five things to know about Ohio State’s first round NCAA Tournament opponent Loyola-Chicago
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Some fun facts about Ohio State’s upcoming NCAA Tournament opponent.

It’s that time of year. The madness of March is back, and this year’s Ohio State Buckeyes unit has made the NCAA Tournament once again — this time as a No. 7 seed. Chris Holtmann’s team has not had a ton of success in the postseason tourney, memorably losing to Oral Roberts a year ago to suffer an immediate exit. They’ll be looking to right the ship this time around, but it will be no easy task, as the Ramblers of Loyola-Chicago stand in their way.

Opponents get significantly more unfamiliar now that conference play has come to an end, but many Ohio State fans are probably at least somewhat aware of Loyola-Chicago thanks to their Cinderella run to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. But that was then and this is now, so who exactly are this year’s Ramblers? Let’s learn a few things about the Buckeyes’ first round opponent.

1) America’s favorite nun is back


Part of what made Loyola-Chicago’s miracle run even more special was not what was going on the court, but who was on the sidelines for it all. Sister Jean stole America’s hearts as a Ramblers super-fan. The now 102-year-old nun is an an American religious sister of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and also the chaplain of the Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team. This year, she will be back on the sidelines for the Ramblers in the NCAA Tournament, hoping to bring more of the good fortune she seemingly brought the team both in 2018 and 2021.

Sister Jean first became a star after Loyola-Chicago upset Miami in the 2018 tourney. Her popularity only continued to grow as the team went on to defeat Tennessee, Nevada and Kansas State to advance to the program’s first Final Four since 1963. The Ramblers would eventually fall to Michigan in that Final Four game, but the legend of Sister Jean had been born. She would return in 2021, and Loyola-Chicago again came away with a massive upset over No. 1 seed Illinois to advance to the Sweet 16. Sister Jean will be in the house on Friday, and Ohio State fans will be hoping the magic has worn off by now. No offense, Sister.

(Fun Fact: Sister Jean is older than Ohio Stadium, which broke ground in 1921 — two years after she was born!)

2) A (somewhat) familiar face


Today is St. Patrick’s Day, but we are talking about Valentines.

During those previous two runs in the NCAA Tournament, Loyola-Chicago was led by head coach Porter Moser, who was the headman of the program for 10 years from 2011-21. It was a slow start for Moser with the Ramblers, but after winning the CBI in 2014-15, things started to get going. A 32-6 season in 2017-18 resulted in both regular season and tournament titles for Loyola Chicago in the Missouri Valley Conference, and ended with that aforementioned Final Four run. That campaign started a streak of four-consecutive winning seasons for the Ramblers and a trio of conference titles, and Moser would go on to take the Oklahoma job at the start of this season.

This season, Loyola-Chicago is led by Drew Valentine. If his name and appearance are somewhat familiar, that is because he is the older brother of Denzel Valentine, a former AP Player of the Year at Michigan State who once hit a game-winning three-pointer over Ohio State — on Valentines Day, no less — in 2015. Previously a grad assistant for the Spartans under Tom Izzo and an assistant coach for his alma mater Oakland, the elder Valentine was hired by the Ramblers at 29 years old, becoming the youngest head coach in Division I basketball. He was previously on staff from 2017-21 as an assistant.

In his first year at the helm, Valentine led his team to a 25-7 record and an MVC Tournament title. Now, he will be looking to win his first NCAA Tournament appearance as head coach and follow in the footsteps of his younger brother by defeating Ohio State.

3) MVC magic


This was the last season for Loyola-Chicago playing in the Missouri Valley Conference, as it has been announced they will be joining the Atlantic 10 as of this July. The Ramblers first joined the MVC back in 2013, coming over from the Horizon League. Since becoming a member, Loyola-Chicago has earned at least a share of the regular season title three times, and landed the conference’s auto bid to the NCAA Tournament by emerging victorious in ‘Arch Madness’ — aka the MVC Conference Tournament — thrice (2018, 2021, 2022).

While the MVC isn’t exactly known as a basketball powerhouse, the conference has had a tremendous amount of success in the NCAA Tournament over the last decade. In eight off the last night brackets, a Missouri Valley Conference team has won a first-round game, with a 11-3 mark overall in the first round during that timeframe. The league has also done quite well for itself in the following rounds, with a pair of Sweet 16 runs (2021 Loyola-Chicago, 2015 Wichita State) and the MVC’s only two trips to the Final Four in the modern era (2018 Loyola-Chicago, 2013 Wichita State).

With the Ramblers the only member of the MVC in this year’s tourney, Ohio State will be looking to put an end to that streak.

4) Ohio ties


As a school based in Chicago, it is no surprise to see much of the talent on this year’s Loyola-Chicago team comes from around the Midwest. Five players on the roster are from within the Illinois borders, including leading scorer Lucas Williamson, who hails from the school’s backyard in Chicago. A trio of players come from Indiana, while Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska have one representative each. Senior forward Aher Uguak is from Canada, which I’m told is the Midwest of the north. Even head coach Drew Valentine is from Michigan.

The one player on the team out of the great state of Ohio is a good one. Junior guard Braden Norris is a native of Hilliard, Ohio. The team’s second-leading scorer, Norris averaged 10.3 points per game this season while averaging a team-high 3.9 assists per game. A Hilliard Bradley High School product, Norris began his collegiate career at Oakland before transferring to Loyola-Chicago after one season. Ohio State was one of the many teams to reach out to him during his time in the transfer portal, but did not end up offering him a scholarship. Norris played against both Justin Ahrens and Kyle Young when they were all in high school.

Norris will likely be playing with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being overlooked by the hometown school, and as the team’s leading three-point shooter, he will be one to look out for come Friday.

5) The Office


Loyola University Chicago, founded in 1870, is a private school in — you guessed it — Chicago, Illinois. It is actually a relatively large university, spanning six campuses across the Chicago metropolitan area and enrolling approximately 17,000 students. Despite its size, there aren’t all that many super famous Loyola-Chicago alumni. They get to lay claim for Wal-Mart CFO Thomas Schoewe and McDonalds corporate chairman Michael R. Quinlan, but I wouldn’t exactly call those guys ‘famous’. You may know of Todd Ricketts, co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, and you’re even more likely to know Shams Charania, NBA insider for The Athletic.

All of these guys are very successful Loyola-Chicago alumni, but the most famous of all is far and away Leslie David Baker, or as you know him, Stanley from The Office. Before landing the gig on one of the world’s most popular TV shows, Baker earned a B.S. in psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and went on to get an M.S. in human services administration from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago. Ironically enough, Baker played an office worker in commercials for OfficeMax to make some extra cash while working on his Masters — a sign of things to come! Overall, Baker played the character of Stanley Hudson in 188 episodes of The Office from 2005-13.


Ohio State will play in the very first game to begin the Friday slate, tipping off against Loyola-Chicago at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS. As of the time this was written, the game is currently a pick-em on the DraftKings Sportsbook, meaning that the odds are even for either team to win. The over/under is set at 133 points.

The Vegas odds agree — this should be a good one!

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I maintain that the best throw CJ made this year was meaningless and wouldn’t be considered.

A 3rd down pass to Ruckert against Oregon. Jeremy ran an “IN” route. There was a linebacker that dropped to where he needed to cut. He went around the LB and the ball was immediately in his chest. Great anticipation and arm strength.

MililaniBuckeye said:

Pfizer would have you getting their shots on a monthly basis from here to eternity if they could convince Congress to approve it...

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what a racket

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman sign multiyear deals with ESPN to be voices of Monday Night Football

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who have teamed together for 20 NFL seasons in the broadcast booth, have signed multiyear agreements to join ESPN as the new voices for Monday Night Football, it was announced Wednesday.

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Entire article: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...raiders-releasing-trailblazing-de-carl-nassib

Ohio State to host rising 2023 safety
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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2023 five-star safety Carnell Tate via Andrew Ivins of 247Sports

Plus, an update on a priority five-star wide receiver target for the Buckeyes in 2023.

With spring in the air, the Ohio State football team is in full force with spring practices and recruiting. On Monday, the Buckeyes learned they will be playing host to a rising 2023 safety later this month, and one of their top wide receiver targets will soon make a big announcement.

2023 safety to visit Ohio State


The Ohio State football team is now in week two of its spring practices, and with this comes recruiting visits. Ohio State’s spring visitor list seems to grow as each day passes, and this was the case Monday as one of the teams newest safety targets announced he would be visiting with the Buckeyes later this month.

Three-star S Jayden Bonu (Hillside, NJ / St. Peters Prep) has seen his recruitment take off in the last few months, including receiving an official scholarship offer from the Buckeyes last December. On Monday he announced he would be visiting Ohio State the weekend of March 25-26.


Bonsu may only be a three-star prospect, but his offer list says otherwise. Since the end of his junior season of play, he has received scholarship offers from the likes of Ohio State, Clemson, USC, Miami, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arkansas and Alabama. Because of his impressive offer sheet, if he builds upon his junior season this coming fall, he should easily make a massive jump in the recruiting rankings.

The visit to Ohio State will be his first to Columbus and one of his first visits in his recruitment. Although, it will not be his first, as he has already made trips to Penn State and Michigan State.

Bonsu seems to be leaning towards staying in Big Ten country, but this could easily change as he begins to take more visits in the coming months. If the upcoming visit goes as well as planned, Ohio State could make a push as a legitimate contender in his recruitment.

Bonsu is the No. 33 safety in the 2023 recruiting class and is the No. 367 overall recruit. He is also the No. 7 recruit out of New Jersey.

Carnell Tate to soon break some “Big news”


Ohio State has had 2023 five-star wide receiver Carnell Tate (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy) as one of their top priorities for the majority of his recruitment. The Buckeyes offered him in April of 2021, and since then the team has been viewed as a favorite to land him.

Since the offer, Tate has made multiple visits to Columbus, cementing them as a contender. However, they are not alone, as Notre Dame has also developed a strong relationship with him. It appears that the two have separated themselves from the field, as they were the only two schools with a prediction cast in their favor in the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions. That is until Monday afternoon, when Notre Dame insider Tom Loy flipped his prediction from the Irish to Ohio State, putting both of the current predictions in their favor.

It seems like Ohio State is still slightly ahead of the Irish. We will soon learn more into his mindset, as he took to Twitter saying he will be releasing some “big news” later today.


In the Tweet, Tate referenced Hayes Fawcett, who is known for some of the best recruiting graphics in the game. Because of this, we can either expect the news to be a commitment or more likely a cut down from his top 10 schools list. If Tate is going to cut his top schools today, expect both Ohio State and Notre Dame to make the cut.

Tate is the No. 3 WR in the 2023 class and is the No. 21 overall prospect. He is also the No. 7 prospect from the talent-rich state Florida.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State made the cut for 2023 three-star linebacker S’Maje Burrell on Sunday. Included in his top 11 are Ohio State, Florida State, Baylor, Utah, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, Tennessee, USC and Ole Miss.

• Ohio State 2023 OL verbal commit Joshua Padilla finished as the state runner-up in his final wrestling match last weekend. The skills he has learned from the sport directly translates to the football field, which is why he is one of the top at his position.

• Ohio State 2022 five-star safety signee Sonny Styles is not just impressive on the gridiron, but also on the hardwood. He led this impressive series of plays last weekend, helping lead Pickerington Central to the Ohio State final four.

• Five-star OL Francis Mauigoa released his top 13 on Twitter on Monday night, and the Buckeyes were one of the teams to make the cut for the 6-foot-6, 325-pound IMG Academy standout. Mauigoa is currently the No. 2 OT and the No. 8 overall player in the 2023 class.

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Ohio State softball is having its best start in years
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Graduate left-hander Lexie Handley winds up for a pitch. | The Ohio State University Athletic Department

The Buckeyes’ softball team has had a tremendous beginning to their season, and they’re just getting started.

I might be a little biased, but I think I have the best sports beat for The Lantern, Ohio State’s student news outlet. I am the softball beat reporter this season, and it has been so much fun to cover this team! The Buckeyes (13-3) are off to their best 16-game start since 2018.

I’ve talked to a lot of the girls on the team, and the overall theme I’m getting from them is that this year’s team is different. They have gelled together tremendously and get along with one another really well. This type of camaraderie may have been missing in the past, and could be the key to their success this year.

The Buckeyes scored big time in the transfer portal during the offseason, receiving graduate left-handed pitcher Lexie Handley and senior outfielder Jaycee Ruberti. The 24-year-old Handley has quickly become the ace of the pitching staff, and being a southpaw is certainly not something you see everyday, which is an added benefit.

Handley has a 1.81 ERA in 61 innings pitched, amounting to a 6-2 record on the season. She is simply dominant in the circle, racking up 73 strikeouts so far, including multiple double-digit strikeout outings.

Not to count out the other members of the pitching staff, sophomore righties Allison Smith and Emily Ruck have had strong starts to the season as well, posting 1.91 and 1.66 ERAs, respectively. Additionally, Ruck pitched her first collegiate no-hitter on Sunday against UMass in a five-inning mercy rule win. I would expect to see her get some more innings as the season goes on.

Jaycee Ruberti has a team-leading .378 batting average, including reaching base safely in 10 of her 12 at-bats in the four games this past weekend. Another senior outfielder who is leading the way for the Buckeyes is Meggie Otte. She has a .273 average and team-leading 18 RBIs with a .542 slugging percentage, and is an absolute star in centerfield.

One last senior I want to mention is corner infielder Niki Carver. She hit three home runs in the four-game weekend stretch, and currently has 21 home runs for her career — the most on the active roster.

While there are some veterans that have performed really well to start the season, there are a couple of freshmen to be highlighted as well. Kami Kortokrax, a Columbus native, has started every single game at shortstop, and has done quite well. She has a .911 fielding percentage and a .235 batting average— pretty dang good for a freshman! Outside of her stardom on the field, she has also amassed a large following on TikTok (@kamikortokrax), where she has 55.7K followers and over 3.4 million likes!

Another first-year worth mentioning is Melina Wilkison. Usually the designated hitter, Wilkison has had an extremely hot start offensively. She has a .300 batting average and has been very reliable to put the ball in play, with only five strikeouts in 40 at-bats.

All of these Buckeyes and more are being led by head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly. She is in her 10th season coaching Ohio State, and has a 280-172-1 record during her time with the program. Her winning percentage entering the season, .612, is the best of any coach in program history.

All of these statistics are truly impressive, and shows what a talented roster this team has. Personally, I think the best thing about this team is how much fun they’re having. While only a few games having been live-streamed so far, between watching those and talking with the players, they are genuinely excited to go out on the field and play with each other every day, and that could make all the difference this season.

The Buckeyes are currently on their spring break road-trip in Florida. They play against UCF Tuesday at 6 p.m., and it will be live-streamed on ESPN+. I encourage you to tune in!

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