Before and after Ohio State's Big Ten Championship win, other Ohio State sports were performing as well
McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the Ohio State campus played host to the USA Swimming Winter Nationals last weekend from Nov. 29—Dec. 2. There the Ohio State performance was punctuated by a national championship performance from sophomore Noah Lense.
Lense, of Clearwater, FL, was coming off a second team All-Big Ten performance after his freshman season, and the national title was his first short course and first of any kind as a Buckeye.
Your 2017 #SwimWinterNats 200 Butterfly National Champion! @NoahLense #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/8XtDS26r4r
— Ohio State Swim/Dive (@OhioSt_SwimDive) December 3, 2017
Competing in the 200 butterfly, Lense finished with a time of 1:42:22 for the win. He edged Brendan Burns — one of two 16-year-olds who made the finals— for the top spot of the podium by 72 hundredths of a second.
Lense was able to ride a quick start followed by closing speed at the end of the race, as his third and fourth splits were the fastest among finalists at 26.65 and 27.29
when your boy wins his first-career short-course natty title you hug it up! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/pfoUOrdK3F
— Ohio State Swim/Dive (@OhioSt_SwimDive) December 3, 2017
Romano Breaks School Record In Bronze Effort
Competing in her first nationals event as a member of the Buckeyes, freshman Kristen Romano finished with a bronze in the 200 backstroke. Her time of 1:52.86 in race was also fast enough to break the school record in the race.
The mark was previously held by Emily Creran, who set the mark in 2013 with a time of 1:53.62 as a senior. For the freshman competing in her first semester with the team, the mark is not only impressive, but something clearly visibly to continually improve upon as Romano moves forward.
Meg Bailey also finished with a bronze during the final day of competition, taking a tame of 1:55.40 to PR in the 200 butterfly. That mark by Bailey was 28 hundreds of a second off of the school record held by former Buckeye swimmer Shannon Davis.
Ohio State rifle at the US Airgun Championships
Ohio State rifle took to the guns in Colorado at the United States Winter Airgun Championships, wrapping up the fall portion of their competitive season.
Taking place in Colorado Springs, the Buckeyes got a fair share of medals throughout the weekend competition in the national, Olympic-style event.
Mark Matheny took home bronze in the men's open air rifle:
Senior Mark Matheny takes in the Mens Open Air Rifle Final!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/AKcGoNw5Ej
— Ohio State Rifle (@OhioState_RIFLE) December 1, 2017
Then, Rhiann Travis took home bronze as well in the women's junior final.
