Ohio State excellence is not exclusive to the football field or the basketball court. Around the Oval is our way of keeping you informed of the amazing things happening with the other 34 varsity sports on campus.
Watching college sports as an Ohioan is somewhat like watching the Olympics as an American. We are dominant, and not just on the football field. We tried our best to rank the top 10 non-revenue Ohio State teams going into the 2016-17 season.
10. women's volleyball
The Ohio State women's volleyball team didn't take home any major titles last season but they did show us that they are ready to compete. The Big Ten is one of the toughest volleyball conferences in the country and last season the Buckeyes showed us that they can hang with great programs like Penn State and Wisconsin. They took the number one ranked Washington to an impressive five sets in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament but unfortunately lost in the end. Audra Appold and Taylor Hughes, both of which were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, have massive amounts of potential heading into their sophomore seasons. The young team will be led by powerful senior blocker Taylor Sandbothe who is set to break records in her swan song at Ohio State. Expect great things, maybe even a Big Ten Championship, from this team in the fall.
9. men's soccer
Last season the Ohio State men's soccer team took home the Big Ten Championship, only the fourth in school history. The Buckeyes had an impressive season in which they took down some top ranked teams and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. They will have a tough time replacing seniors Liam Doyle, Kyle Culbertson, and Zach Mason, but they have some impressive talent coming in. Andrew Lombard, Leo Kossaka, Nial Logue, Brady Blackwell, Jack Holland, Brennon Davis, Matt Appel, and Michael Dichlian make up the number four ranked recruiting class in the country. Great things are expected from this group of talented transfers and freshmen. Look for the men's soccer team to be ready to defend their Big Ten title.
8. men's tennis
The young Ohio State men's tennis team is coming off of a Big Ten Championship winning season. Led by rising junior Mikael Torpegaard, the team will only lose one member off of their 12 person roster next season. Torpegaard finished 34-5 and was the NCAA runner-up. Torpegaard and the rest of the Ohio State men's team has the potential to repeat their Big Ten title and take home the gold at NCAAs next season.
7. synchronized swimming
The Ohio State synchronized swimming program is used to winning by now as they hold the record for most national championship wins in Ohio State history, 29. The team unfortunately did not take home the title this year but still took home second place at the national competition. Rising junior Emma Baranski, named the team's Most Valuable Swimmer, took home an individual national title. She will be returning next season along with a very talented group of swimmers that will hopefully propel synchronized swimming to national championship number 30.
6. pistol
The Ohio State pistol team won their third straight national championship last season. The team did not have a single senior last season which means their entire roster will return for next season. Head Coach Donna Knisley will be back for her second season as head coach after serving as assistant coach for 15 years. The juniors on the team have won national titles each year they've competed with the Buckeyes and it's safe to say that they're after the four-peat.
5. women's basketball
Ohio State women's basketball has been on the rise over the last two years with the help of rising junior Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell is one of the best players in the nation, has shattered Ohio State records, and has two full years left to compete for the Buckeyes. Last season, Ohio State had one of the toughest non conference schedules in all of college basketball, which included playing top ranked South Carolina and UConn in the first week of the season. The Buckeyes handled this adversity extremely well and went on the have a successful season in which they made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. The team will lose important players in Cait Craft and Ameryst Alston but will gain five star freshmen Tori McCoy, Jensen Caretti, and Kiara Lewis.
4. women's rowing
Ohio State women's rowing is truly a dynasty. Last season the team won their third national championship in the First Varsity Eight in a row. Overall the team took home second place at NCAAs and a Big Ten Championship. The team will lose a valuable rower in senior Catherine Shields, Ohio State Athlete of the Year, but is still packed with talent. Of the team's First Varsity Eight, six athletes will be returning including rising senior Stephanie Williams. Williams has won a national title each year she has competed for the Buckeyes and is without a doubt after a four-peat. Expect this talented team to be a strong contender for the National Championship next year.
3. men's gymnastics
The Ohio State men's gymnastics team finished an impressive 25-6 last season. They took home the 2016 Big Ten Championship and third place at NCAAs. The team had six total All-Americans, the most in NCAA history, four of which will be returning to compete for the Buckeyes next season. The only loss this team will suffer is senior Alex Johnson who won the sole national title for Ohio State on the high bar. All-around powerhouses Sean Melton, Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, and Alec Yoder, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, will be back next year with their eyes on a national title.
2. wrestling
Over the last few years Tom Ryan and the wrestling bucks have turned Ohio State into a wrestling school. It started with the legendary Logan Stieber and continues on with the historic Kyle Snyder and company. National and World Champion Snyder is enough to make this team special, but the talent does not stop there. Last season, Myles Martin became the first true freshman to win a National Championship in Ohio State history. Also taking home NCAA hardware was Bo Jordan and Nathan Tomasello, both of whom placed third in their weight classes. All four of Ohio State's top three NCAA finishers will be returning for next season. They will be stronger, more experienced, and hungrier than ever to take home a team championship.
1. men's volleyball
The Ohio state men's volleyball team is coming off of their national championship sweep over BYU. I had the opportunity to meet head coach Pete Hanson at the beginning of their season and he was asked the question of which program was currently the best in men's collegiate volleyball. He answered, "Honestly, it's us", and he was right. They now reign as the best men's volleyball team in the nation, a rightfully deserved title. The team went 31-3 and ended the season on a 23 game win streak that culminated in a dominating win over BYU in the NCAA finals. Returning next season the team will have Miles Johnson, the NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player, and Nicolas Szerszen, the National Player of the Year. This team is confident, packed with talent, and ready to repeat next year.
*this list is of non-revenue teams which excludes football and men's basketball
We are truly blessed sports fans that Ohio State has given us such a challenging task of ranking its top 10 teams. There is so much talent and athleticism that it really is a matter of opinion, so tell us yours! Let us know what teams you think are worthy of this list.
Go Bucks!
