An Ohio State men’s soccer player was the victim of an off-campus shooting just hours after the Buckeyes clinched their berth in the NCAA College Cup.
Redshirt junior defender Nathan Demian was a victim of an off-campus shooting over the weekend, Ohio State said Monday in a statement.
Our thoughts and our prayers are with Nathan and @OhioStateMSOC As an athletic department we are using all of our resources to support him, his family and the team. https://t.co/cMLh92KfaY
— Ross Bjork (@RossBjorkAD) December 9, 2024
According to WSYX, the shooting occurred at approximately 2 a.m. Sunday on Chittenden Avenue. Demian was inadvertently shot when two vehicles were chasing each other and a person in one vehicle fired at the other vehicle.
Per WSYX, Demian was initially listed in serious condition but is expected to survive.
Ohio State coach Brian Maisonneuve said Monday he couldn’t comment on Demian’s condition but that the team is leaning on each other with their teammate on their minds.
“Nate is an incredible teammate, incredible person and a fantastic player,” Maisonneueve said during a Zoom call previewing the NCAA College Cup. “Obviously he'll be missed and we're going to miss him on the field, but he is such a huge personality. He really gets everybody going in practice and in games. He's got a great voice. He's a character in the best way possible. And his play speaks for itself. He's a competitor and it's going to be tough not to have him out there.”
Demian has appeared in 14 games for the Buckeyes this season with 12 starts.
The shooting occurred just hours after Demian started for the Buckeyes in their 3-0 win over Wake Forest in an NCAA quarterfinal match at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Buckeyes will travel to Cary, North Carolina, later this week for the NCAA College Cup, where they will face Marshall in the NCAA semifinals on Friday at approximately 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU. If the Buckeyes defeat Marshall, they will face either Denver or Vermont in the national championship match at 8 p.m. Monday on ESPN2.
