Sports

Miami Football: Harwell Transfers To Kansas (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:02:57 +0200

Oxford, OH

Eric Singer

Miami RedHawks All-MAC wide receiver Nick Harwell will have a new place to call home in 2013. ESPN’s Bret McMurphy announced Wednesday night that the senior is transferring to Kansas for the upcoming season.

Harwell was suspended indefinitely from the football program after he was arrested in early April on charges of criminal damaging, theft, and unauthorized use of a vehicle at an off-campus location. The school confirmed earlier this week that Harwell was no longer enrolled at Miami after going through the school’s standard appeals process.

McMurphy tweeted out Wednesday night that it is unknown whether Harwell will be eligible to play immediately at Kansas, as his status was deemed, “TBD” by Kansas’s compliance and academic staff.

In 2011, Harwell was the second leading receiver in all of the NCAA, averaging 129.6 receiving yards per game. He also amassed 97 receptions for 1,425 yards and nine touchdowns, earning him first-team All-MAC honors and an All-American Honorable Mention by Sports Illustrated. In 2012 Harwell followed his sophomore season by hauling in 68 passes for 870 yards and nine touchdowns.

Harwell leaves Miami as one of the greatest receivers in program history, ranking second in career receptions with 229, second in receiving yards with 3,166, and third in receiving touchdowns with 23.

The departure of Harwell is another big loss for the RedHawks for the 2013 season. The team is now without their top wideouts from 2012 in Harwell and Andy Cruse (now with the NFL’s Houston Texans), as well as All-MAC quarterback Zac Dysert.

His departure also comes as a boost for the Ohio Bobcats defense. Harwell pulled in 33 catches for 520 yards and two touchdowns in three career games against Ohio, including a Miami single-game record of 219 receiving yards against Ohio in 2010.

The RedHawks and Bobcats are scheduled to play on October 26^th at Peden Stadium for the 90^th edition of the Battle of the Bricks rivalry. Miami ended Ohio’s undefeated season in 2012, beating the Bobcats 23-20 in Oxford, snapping Ohio's six year winning streak over the RedHawks.

Colorado Transfer Manso Joins Ohio Soccer (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:19:46 +0200

Athens, OH

Carter Eckl

The Ohio Bobcats soccer team is adding depth to its midfield this coming fall with the addition of Carly Manso. Mano, a redshirt freshman, transferred from Colorado University. Manso played forward at Colorado but is listed as a midfielder according to the Bobcats roster.

Manso only played one year of high school soccer at Vernon Hills High School where she was awarded all-conference, all-sectional, and rookie of the year honors. Though she only played one year of high school soccer, Manso played for Chicago’s Eclipse Select club team for seven years. The Eclipse were ranked as the No. 2 soccer club in the nation from 2009-2011 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com.

Manso is joining some familiar faces on the Bobcats roster. She went to the same high school as Ohio’s junior goalkeeper Nicole Amari. While with the Eclipse Manso played alongside Amari and Ohio redshirt senior midfielder and forward Maggie Murnane.

“It was literally like a family. We are mentally strong and prepared for anything,” Manso said, when asked about her time with the Eclipse by the Vernon Hills Review.

Out of high school Manso was highly recruited for her ability to, “attack defenses and create space for open shots,” according to her club coach Rory Dames in an article by the Vernon Hills Review.

According to OhioBobcats.com, Bobcats head coach Aaron Rodgers believes that Manso will be able to, “push for a starting spot and add some athleticism to our program.”

Rodgers is in his first season as the Bobcats women’s soccer head coach. Last year Ohio finished with an 8-10-1 record after losing five of its final six games. With only four seniors graduating this past spring, Rodgers has most of the team returning back to Athens this fall.

Rodgers and the Bobcats open their season with an exhibition game at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in Greensboro, N.C., on August 15.

Herman Reaches Deal With NFL's Giants (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:50:17 +0200

East Rutherford, NJ

Bryan Vance

Former Ohio offensive lineman Eric Herman signed a four-year rookie contract with the New York Giants Wednesday according to ESPN. The deal comes nine days after the Giants concluded their 2013 rookie mini-camp.

Herman was selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft in April after starting 51 consectuive games for the Bobcats from 2009-2012. While specifics of Herman’s contract were not released, according to Joel Corry of NationalFootballPost.com, the median rookie deal for a 2013 seventh round pick is a four-year, $2,209,628 contract with a $49,628 signing bonus.

Herman joins fellow former Bobcat Neal Huynh as the only members of Ohio’s roster last season currently under contract with an NFL team. Huynh signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in April.

Skyler Allen, who started at center alongside Herman for two seasons signed with the Detrioit Lions in April as an undrafted free agent, but was cut following the team’s mini-camp two weeks ago.

The Giants began voluntary organized team activities Wednesday at their training facility in East Rutherford, N.J. According to ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Wilkening, if Herman makes the active roster for the season opener he will likely serve as a backup behind veteran guards Kevin Boothe and Chris Snee.

W. Soccer. Ohio Soccer Adds Carly Manso to Roster for 2013 (ohiobobcats.com)

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:21:21 +0200

The Ohio University soccer team has made an offseason addition to its roster, the program announced on Wednesday. Carly Manso, a midfielder from Colorado University, will be donning Ohio's Green and White in advance of the 2013 season.

Blasius Brings New Strategy To Pitch (WOUB Sports)

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:10:24 +0200

Marietta, OH

Brad Friedman

Photo Credit:

Mitch Casey

Stacey Smith is a senior midfielder for the Pioneers and has endured a variety of different schemes at Marietta.

Coming off of a 3-13-1 season, the Marietta women’s soccer program has not experienced a plethora of success recently. The Pioneers have not posted a record above .500 since their 8-8-1 campaign in 2007.

After the resignation of then head coach Elke Reisdorph last fall, Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Schaly said that it was important to find a new coach that would be “the right fit” for the program and Marietta community.

Enter: Tracy Blasius.

Returning to the pitch after a year away from coaching, Blasius brings an impressive resume and a considerable amount of experience to her new team. During her 15 seasons at Ohio Athletic Conference foe John Carroll, Blasius led the Blue Streaks to a record of 143-122-27, two regular season OAC titles and one conference tournament championship. Blasius was also named conference coach of the year three times.

Having coached against OAC teams, including Marietta, for over a decade, Schaly felt like Blasius’ knowledge of NCAA Division III soccer and the OAC made her the best choice for the job.

“She knows what it will take to make Marietta a conference champion,” Schaly said.

As for Blasius herself, the move to Marietta was a challenge she is eager to face.

“There hasn’t been a great program here for a while … I wanted to start over and build something here,” Blasius said, “The administration is behind this program and they’re ready for a change.”

Establishing consistency within the program is something both Schaly and Blasius stressed. When the Pioneers take the field against Rio Grande on August 21, this senior class will have started the season under the guidance of their third head coach.

Senior midfielder Stacey Smith had been frustrated with the constant changes at the head coaching position, but she approved of the way Blasius has taken control of the program.

“You can tell that it’s all about soccer and the team with her, ” Smith said.

Fellow senior and Marietta goalkeeper Kaitlyn Pearse also applauded Blasius’ knowledge of the game and her commitment to the program.

“She has shown that she will be here for the long haul which will be very beneficial to the program,” Pearse said.

As Blasius establishes herself as the leader of this program, Smith knew that it would take the efforts of the entire squad to get the program headed in the right direction.

“We have been stressing the importance, to the underclassmen, of being there for one another,” Smith said. “Everybody needs to step up and be there for one another.”

Through cookouts at Blasius’ home and other team bonding activities, both Pearse and Smith acknowledged the importance of building team camaraderie as the new coach establishes herself in a new job.

While Pearse and Smith expressed their optimism with their new head coach, Blasius knows that success won’t come over night. Blasius takes over a team that only scored 15 goals in 17 matches while allowing opponents to score an average of three goals per match, placing them in second to last place in the OAC.

In the Pioneers’ brief spring season, Blasius placed a few players in new positions and has implemented new offensive and defensive formation, according to Pearse.

“It’s going to be a process, little by little,” Blasius said, “There is talent on this team and we could see improvement by having a better organized system.”

Marietta has seen athletic success in several other sports, such as baseball and rowing, and the athletic department hired Blasius, along with new coaches for football and men’s soccer, in the hopes of elevating fall sports to the level of baseball, rowing and other prosperous programs.

“Everybody comes in during the fall hyped up for a new school year,” Schaly said, “The more momentum you build in the fall; the better off all athletics will be during the whole school year.”

Blasius wants her squad to “keep it simple” this fall. She has her eyes on a spot in the conference tournament this year.

“[I want us] to stay positive, work hard and to be proud of Marietta soccer.”

Wrestling. Ohio Earns No. 15 Academic Ranking by the NWCA (ohiobobcats.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:28:33 +0200

The Ohio University wrestling team was recognized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association on Monday as having the 15th-best team grade point average in all of Division I wrestling.

W. Soccer. Ohio Soccer Summer Blog: Gabby Hausfeld (ohiobobcats.com)

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:24:36 +0200

This summer, student-athletes on the Ohio University soccer team will be writing a weekly blog series about their lives as Bobcats. The series began last week and will carry all the way through the first five games of the 2013 regular season.

Accurso, Geiger To Compete At NCAA East Regional (WOUB Sports)

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:55:35 +0200

Athens, OH

Cody Linn

Senior Alexis Geiger and junior Juli Accurso will represent Ohio University and compete at the NCAA East Regional in women’s outdoor track and field to be held in Greensboro, N.C.

Accurso qualified for the 5,000m run which is set for Saturday at 8:05 p.m., and the 10,000m run which is set for Thursday at 9 p.m. Accurso’s time of 33:52.33 at the Stanford Invitational earned Accurso the 16^th seed in the 10,000m run and a time of 16:21.56 at the Wake Forest Open earned her the 23^rd seed in the 5,000m run.

Alexis Geiger earned her spot in the competition in high jump with a jump of 6.05m, a personal best, at the Ohio Open. The long jump is set to begin Thursday at 5 p.m.

Bobcat Club. Bobcat Club Announces Caravan Raffle Winners (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:49:27 +0200

The Ohio Bobcat Club announced the winners of the 2013 Bobcat Caravan Raffle on OhioBobcats.com Monday. More than 500 fans and supporters of Ohio University athletics visited the annual spring event at six Bobcat Caravan stops across the state of Ohio.

Track. Accurso, Geiger To Compete At NCAA East Regional (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:13:33 +0200

Junior Juli Accurso (Casstown, Ohio) and senior Alexis Geiger (Gallipolis, Ohio) will cap off their exceptional outdoor seasons by representing the Ohio University women's track & field team at the NCAA East Regional this weekend in Greensboro, N.C.

Rodgers Adds Three To Initial Class (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:46:58 +0200

Athens, OH

Allie Dosmann

Aaron Rodgers recently collected his first verbal commitments as head coach of the Ohio University women’s soccer team, adding three players for the class of 2014.

Defender Lauren Heger, goalkeeper Brooke Mauro and defender Megan Niebuhr play for the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy, one of the top club programs in the Midwest.

“All three girls will have played for five years in the Elite Club Nationals League by the time they begin their career at Ohio University,” wrote Ohio Elite team manager Tim Lesiak in an email. “This valuable experience will help ease them into the collegiate game and will allow all three players to make an immediate impact.”

This Ohio Elite team finished sixth in the ECNL last year, a league composed of 66 teams from across the nation. They also won the Ohio South Youth Soccer Association state cup in 2010 and 2011.

Niebuhr specifically is a promising recruit for the university. TopDrawerSoccer.com ranked her the 121^st best recruit in the country and the 12^th best recruit in the Great Lakes region. She was selected to be a part of the ECNL all event team in 2012, a very exclusive opportunity. For St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, her high school team, she made first-team all-conference and was selected for the All-Southwest Ohio team.

“We have been together for a long time and understand how each of us play our positions,” wrote Niebuhr in an email. “Since I have played next to Lauren Heger for so long, most of the time we don’t even have to communicate, we just know what each of us will be doing in certain situations. We know how to cover for each other and move off the ball.”

TopDrawerSoccer.com ranked Heger 25^th in the Great Lakes region. She verbally committed to Cincinnati in August of 2012 before committing to Ohio.

Heger and Niebuhr work to support Mauro in the net. During the 2011-2012 season, Mauro gave up only six goals in 20 games.

Ohio currently has three goalkeepers on the roster for 2013-2014, redshirt junior Rachel Fryan, junior Nicola Amari and senior Mattie Liston. The addition of a young skilled keeper like Mauro is essential for Ohio’s future success.

The addition of two top-notch defenders to the program is also a positive, but Ohio needs to look to the offensive side of the ball as well. Ohio was shut out in nearly all of their losses last season, so a scorer should be high on Rodgers’ list.

“I want to bring a MAC title home to Athens,” wrote Niebuhr. “I am a very competitive player and I love the game. I hope to bring enthusiasm and strong leadership.”

Football. Ohio Football to Receive New Turf at Peden Stadium (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:19:16 +0200

The Ohio University Football team is in the process of receiving a new playing surface at Peden Stadium that will be in place for the start of the 2013 preseason. The installation process of the new turf began last Thursday morning.

Akron Basketball: Quincy Diggs Reinstated (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:44:35 +0200

Athens, OH

Matthew Doyle

George Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal reported Monday that Akron forward Quincy Diggs has been reinstated to the University of Akron and should return to the Zips’ men’s basketball team for his one remaining year of eligibility.

Diggs was suspended from the university for the 2012-13 academic school year for a violation of the University of Akron’s Code of Student Conduct. The suspension concluded on May 12, 2013.

After reevaluation of Diggs by the university and the team, the 2011-12 MAC Sixth Man of the Year will come back to a team that returns Second Team All-MAC honoree Demetrius Treadwell and loses 7-foot center Zeke Marshall.

During his junior season, Diggs averaged 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.5 minutes per game. The senior has the capability of playing as a point forward, which will be huge for the Zips, whose current point guard situation is uncertain with Alex Abreu getting arrested on marijuana trafficking charges and Carmelo Betancourt coming off little minutes in his freshman year.

W. Volleyball. Register Now For 2013 Ohio Volleyball Camps! (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:21:07 +0200

There is still time to register for the Ohio University volleyball team's series of instructional summer camps this July.

Manchester Downs Marietta Again, Ending Pioneers' Season (WOUB Sports)

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:38:53 +0200

Terre Haute, IN

Bradley Parks

The Marietta College Pioneers saw their season come to an end Saturday, keeping them from their third consecutive NCAA Division III National Championship.

After winning its first contest against the Washington & Jefferson Presidents 6-2, Marietta fell once more to the Manchester Spartans 8-5. The loss to Manchester was the Pioneers’ second of the NCAA Mideast Regional, effectively eliminating them from the tournament.

Game One

Jason Byers tossed a complete game for the Pioneers as they faced elimination for the first time in the tournament. Byers allowed just two runs on nine hits and struck out nine batters.

Marietta benefitted from a three-run first inning powered by Alex Toth, Aaron Hopper and Mitch Geers. Toth led the Pioneers going 2-for-5 on the day.

Three of Marietta’s six runs were unearned as the Presidents suffered from two errors on defense. Marietta actually finished with fewer hits than Washington & Jefferson on the day.

The Presidents’ only chance at a comeback came in the eighth when D.J. Michalski brought in a run on a double with no outs. Washington & Jefferson went down easy immediately after, quelling the comeback attempt.

Washington & Jefferson left two men stranded in the ninth to end the game.

Game Two

The “Etta Express” faced off with its tournament foe, Manchester, next. The Spartans forced Marietta to face elimination once before, defeating the Pioneers 10-5 on Friday, May 17.

Manchester gave the Pioneers a taste of their own medicine by stinging them with a three-run first inning.

Marietta responded well, plating a run in the second and three more in the third. Toth brought in Evan Brockmeier on a double and eventually scored on a throwing error by the catcher later in the inning. The Pioneers led 4-3 heading into the fifth.

It was then when the Spartans exploded for a four-run inning to take the lead they would not surrender. With runners on second and third with two outs, Austin Rieke was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bryce Murphy doubled to empty the bases and put Manchester up 6-4. Brad Murphy singled the following at-bat to bring in Bryce from second.

Marietta only pushed across one run in the sixth and Manchester nullified it with one of its own in the eighth.

After Chris Winpigler walked, the Pioneers went down in order to drop what became their final game of the season 8-5.

Ohio Baseball Caps Season With Win At Miami, 7-3 (WOUB Sports)

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:15:04 +0200

Oxford, OH

Todd Ward

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Ohio celebrates after Cody Gaertner's two-run home run in the third inning against NIU April 19. The sophomore had three RBIs in a 5-4 win.

In the final game of the Ohio Bobcats 2013 baseball season, Ohio beat Miami, 7-3.

The Bobcats were led by starting pitcher Sean Kennedy, who pitched five innings of two-hit baseball and four straight hitless innings.

Kennedy was pulled in the sixth inning leading 6-1 after he allowed the first two batters to get hits, but Ohio would get out of the jam.

With the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Nick Plys got Miami’s Nate Bowles to ground out and end the inning.

In the seventh inning, Miami had the bases loaded again with no outs off Plys and reliever Ryan Ferrell, but a double play ball could not score the runner from third. Then a strike out ended the inning with no runs scored.

In the eighth, Miami had runners on first and second with two outs, and pitcher Marck Paliotto came on in relief and struck out Chad Sedio.

Ohio’s bats also came alive early in the game. After Miami took an early 1-0 lead by a sacrifice fly, Ohio answered with two runs in the second.

Jon Adryan hit an RBI single to drive in the first run. He then stole second, and a bad throw by the catcher allowed Kyle Dean to score from third base.

After a couple scoreless innings, an RBI double by Ben Otto scored Ohio’s third run.

The sixth inning broke it open for the Bobcats. An RBI single by Nate Squires, a sacrifice fly by Jake Madsen and an RBI double by Scott White made it 6-1 Ohio.

Adryan tacked on another run for Ohio in the top of the ninth inning with an RBI single to make it 7-1.

Miami didn’t go down easy, though. In the ninth inning, Scott Slappey hit a one-out double and scored on an RBI triple by Matt Honchel. Honchel was brought in on a sacrifice fly by Jason Romano to make it 7-3. But a ground out ended the inning and the game.

Miami starting pitcher Nathan Williams went 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and three runs, two earned and got the loss.

Ohio (14-39, 9-18 MAC) did not qualify for the MAC tournament, so its season is over.

Miami (25-28, 14-13) secured the No. 5 seed in the MAC tournament and will play May 22 at 9 a.m. against No. 4 Ball State.

Ohio Baseball Receives Its First Commitment For The 2014 Class (WOUB Sports)

Sat, 18 May 2013 22:52:26 +0200

Omaha, NE

Andrew Gaug

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Jake Miller winds up on the mound against Northern Illinois on April 19. The freshman went 6.2 innings and picked up his second win of the season.

The Ohio Bobcats have added an arm to their pitching staff for the future. According to the Nebraska Recruiting Board, Logan Jacik of Omaha, Neb., announced in January that will he will join Ohio’s 2014 recruiting class.

Jacik stands six feet tall and weighs around 150 pounds. The right-hander pitched at Millard West High School in Nebraska, and is known for his ability to command all of his pitches for strikes as well as his good mechanics that allow him to hit the same spots.

He throws a four-seam and two-seam fastball, change up, curveball and a slider. His fastball typically hits around the mid 80’s, but it has been known to hit 88 mph.

In 2012, Jacik pitched a no-hitter at Millard West and also batted .418. When he is not on the mound he is capable of playing shortstop. He has the potential to become even better, as he is still growing into his frame.

Jacik will join a Bobcat team that already has ties to Omaha. Ohio’s head coach Rob Smith spent six years coaching at Creighton University before becoming a member of the Bobcat family this past summer.

Presently, Jacik’s decision to play at Ohio University is a nonbinding verbal commitment. The commitment will not become official until National Signing Day on February 6, 2014. Until then, Jacik can choose to take his talents elsewhere.

Ohio has one more game in its regular season. The Bobcats will wrap up a series with the Miami RedHawks on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Baseball. Ohio Defeats Miami, 7-3 in Regular Season Finale (ohiobobcats.com)

Sat, 18 May 2013 22:20:21 +0200

Freshman John Adryan collected a game-high four hits to lead the Ohio University baseball team (14-39, 9-18 MAC) to a 7-3 victory over Miami University (25-28, 14-13 MAC) Saturday afternoon at McKie Field in the regular season finale.

Baseball. Ohio Downed at Miami, 13-6 (ohiobobcats.com)

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:37:22 +0200

The Ohio University baseball team (13-39, 8-18 MAC) was defeated Friday night by Miami University (25-27; 14-12 MAC) 13-6 Saturday night at McKie Field to claim game two of the three game series.

Miami Trounces Ohio 13-6 (WOUB Sports)

Sat, 18 May 2013 05:46:28 +0200

Oxford, OH

Bradley Friedman

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Nate Squires (No. 11) and Nick Squires (No. 20) stand together in the Bobcats' dugout against Northern Illinois on April 21.

A two-hour rain delay before the first pitch didn’t dampen Miami’s offensive attack as the RedHawks topped Ohio 13-6.

Miami (25-27, 14-12) outhit Ohio (13-39, 8-18) 20-12 on the evening. The offensive onslaught resulted in the use of seven pitchers between both squads.

For the RedHawks, seven different players recorded at least one RBI and 10 had a least one hit.

Ohio showed the ability to get on base, but the road team’s downfall stemmed from its inability to take advantage of men on base. The Bobcats stranded 12 runners.

Miami wasted no time frustrating Ohio starting pitcher Connor Sitz. RedHawk hitters knocked in four hits in the bottom of the first before they even had two outs.

Designated hitter John Crummy and third baseman Chad Sedio each chalked up an RBI single, putting Miami up 2-0 after one.

Ohio responded immediately, tying the game at two off of RBI singles from designated hitter Chandler Geller and center fielder Nick Squires. With two outs, it took Miami pitcher Mac Thoreson four batters to get out of the inning.

After two 1-2-3 frames, Miami regained the lead during the bottom of the fourth. First baseman Kevin Bower and center fielder Alex Johnson knocked in Miami’s third and fourth RBI singles of the game, putting the home team up 4-2.

Despite having given up eight hits and four runs through four innings of work, Sitz remained on the mound and pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Brett Barber came on to relive Sitz to start the fifth.

Barber struggled in his first inning of work, hitting two RedHawk batters and allowing Miami to increase its lead to 5-2 off of another Sedio RBI single.

In a rivalry game, neither team will go away without a fight.

After going three innings without a hit, Ohio’s bats came alive during the top of the sixth. With runners on the corners, third baseman Ben Otto hit a sac fly to left, scoring shortstop Dan Schmidt and shrinking the Miami lead to 5-3.

Three batters later, Geller came to the plate and sent a single to right, scoring center fielder Tyler Wells and making the score 5-4. Miami reliever Cory Klenke came in after starter Mac Thoreson walked the bases loaded, but the Bobcats would score no more runs in the frame.

Miami proceeded to open to flood gates in the bottom of the seventh. The RedHawks came only a home run short from hitting for the cycle as a team in the inning alone.

The four-run, five-hit frame consisted of a Dan Walsh RBI single, Alex Johnson RBI triple and a two-run double from shortstop Ryan Elble. Miami led 9-4.

The very next inning, two singles and a hit-batsman loaded the bases for Ohio. A fielder’s choice scored Geller, but reliever Wynston McMartin came on to relieve Seth Varner and shut down the Bobcats after the run. The lead was cut to 9-5.

Any hopes of a comeback were soon forgotten after another four-run frame in the bottom of the eighth. A fielding error by Wells allowed two runners to score after a Johnson double. A sac fly and a Max Andersen RBI single put the RedHawks up 13-5.

A J.R Reynolds RBI double cut the lead to 13-6, but it was too little too late for the Bobcats.

After March’ 20-15 loss to Youngstown State, tonight’s total of 13 runs is the most the Bobcats have allowed this season.

Miami and Ohio will meet again on Saturday at 1 p.m to finish the regular season. Ohio will need a win and a Western Michigan loss tomorrow against Central Michigan to avoid finishing last in the Mid-American Conference.

Top-Seeded Manchester Takes Down Marietta 10-5 (WOUB Sports)

Sat, 18 May 2013 03:54:01 +0200

Terre Haute, IN

Andrew Gaug

After outscoring their first two opponents of the Mideast Regional 27-2, the No. 2 Marietta Pioneers (31-13) dropped their game on Friday to the No. 1 Manchester Spartans (38-5-1), 10-5.

In its first two games, Marietta struck early and in bursts. In this game, the Pioneers got a taste of their own medicine.

The Spartans’ hitters were busy early on. They got on the board in the first inning with an RBI single from Corey Marchant. Machester’s burst of offense came in the third inning, in which they put up five runs.

With the bases loaded, Marchant struck again with a bases-clearing double down the left field line. Marchant had two hits in the game to go along with four RBIs, and they all came by the third inning.

Though Marchant’s bat was done terrorizing the Pioneers’ pitching, his teammates would carry on the clutch hitting. Corey Schell added another run via an RBI single, and the Spartans fifth run of the third inning came on an error.

Down 6-0 in the third inning, the “Etta Express” finally scored a run of its own. Jordan Grilliot drove in his team’s first run with a single to left field.

The Pioneers continued to chip away at the Spartans’ lead in the bottom of the fourth. A fielding error and a Christian Demko single cut Machester’s lead to three runs.

The Spartans responded in fifth with a run, but Tim McCoy cut their lead down more in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single.

Up 7-5, Manchester added a run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth all driven in by Trevor Kimm. He hit an RBI double in the seventh and another double in the eighth to put away the game.

Dylan Padgett got the win for the Spartans. He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs. Evan Brockmeier took the loss for Marietta. He pitched six innings, but allowed seven runs to score.

The Pioneers will be in action on Saturday at 12 p.m. and will take on the winner of Washington & Jefferson vs. Thomas More, which started at 9:05 p.m. Friday.

Ohio Women's Basketball Signs Stinson to 2013 Class (WOUB Sports)

Sat, 18 May 2013 01:14:51 +0200

Brooklyn, MS

Carter Eckl

Tmisht Stinson, a 5-foot-10 forward from Forest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, Miss., has committed to the Ohio women’s basketball team for the 2013 class. Stinson has signed her National Letter of Intent and received a scholarship according to the Hattiesburg American.

Stinson nearly averaged a double-double in her senior season. She averaged 18 points and 9.4 rebounds every 32 minutes. Stinson was named Best Offensive Player in Division 8-4A her senior year. During her three years of varsity basketball at Forest Countr the Lady Aggies went 78-9.

Stinson will be looking to help the Lady Bobcats bounce back from a 6-23 season. She won’t be the only new face as she enters with new head coach Bob Boldon. Stinson is one of Boldon’s first recruits as he gears up to shift the Bobcats in a new direction.

Ohio Baseball Falls At Miami, 12-7 (WOUB Sports)

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:28:56 +0200

Oxford, OH

Eric Singer

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Jake Madsen takes a hack against NIU on April 19. He was 2-4 with an RBI double in Ohio's 5-4 win.

After a hot start, the Ohio Bobcats couldn’t put away the Miami RedHawks, dropping the first game of the season’s final series by a score of 12-7.

Marck Paliotto got the start for Ohio (13-38, 8-17 MAC), pitching 4.1 innings, while giving up six runs -- three earned -- on seven hits, and wound up with a no decision. Brett Barber, usually the team’s most reliable relief pitcher, was credited with the loss, after giving up three runs in only two-thirds of an inning pithed.

Miami took control in the bottom of the sixth, when it sent eight men to the plate in the inning.

After Paliotto gave up two hits to begin the inning, he was replaced by Barber, who immediately loaded the bases after hitting the first batter he faced.

And just like that, the RedHawks cleared the bases after Chad Sedio smashed a double into left center, effectively tying the game at seven.

One batter later, Miami took the lead for good; Nate Bowles hit an RBI-groundout to third base, which put the RedHawks on top 8-7.

Ohio’s major scoring output came in the third, when it saw nine men come to the plate in the inning.

After the first two batters reached base for Ohio, Brad Przebieda attempted a sacrifice bunt, but a throwing error by the catcher would advance the runners an extra base, and scored Tyler Wells to tie the game at one.

The very next batter in Nick Squires lined a single into right field, scoring Kyle Dean and giving Ohio a 2-1 lead. Then, two batters later, Jake Madsen, who has been the Bobcats’ most consistent hitter all season long, lined a single into right and increasing the ‘Cats’ lead to 3-1.

With runners on first and third with two outs, Cody Gaertner came to the plate for Ohio looking to add-on, which he would after hitting an infield single to short, which scored Squires to make the lead 4-1. Then two pitches later, Madsen stole home as on a double steal with Gaertner, increasing Ohio’s lead to 5-1.

Miami (24-27, 13-12) got on the board right off the bat in the first inning, when Alex Johnson ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Matt Honchel to give the Redhawks the early 1-0 lead.

Ohio would add two more runs in the fifth, on an RBI groundout from Gaertner, and on another RBI single from Madsen, adding to his team-high total of 35 RBIs on the season.

The Bobcats were led offensively by Madsen, Squires and Gaertner, who combined for six hits, five RBI’s and three runs scored.

Miami sent it’s number one starter to the mound for game one of the series in Brooks Fiala (6-5), but he struggled a bit against the Bobcats, giving up seven runs and seven hits over seven innings, and still picked up the win for the Redhawks.

Ohio is back in action Friday night, as they take on Miami for game two of the series at McKie Field in Oxford. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Bobcats Break Records In 2013 Softball Season (WOUB Sports)

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:18:26 +0200

Athens, OH

Andrew Gaug

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Ohio's Lauren Gellerman steps into the batter's box in game one against Ohio State. The senior had three home runs in the doubleheader against the Buckeyes on Tuesday.

The 2013 season was quite a special one for Ohio softball. The Bobcats’ offense tore the cover off of the ball this season, breaking school and league records. The team also experienced some special events and occurrences such as an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Such events happened early and piled on as the season progressed.

February 10:

Ohio’s head coach Jodi Hermanek collected her 100th career win in an 8-0 victory over Rider University. Ohio catcher Lauren Gellerman was a force for the Bobcats. She hit two home runs and drove in five runs for her team.

March 7:

In a 7-4 victory over Seattle University, Gellerman hit her sixth home run of the season, and the 28th of her career. The blast set the career home run record in Ohio softball history. The record-setting homer helped the Bobcats improve their record to 12-3.

March 16:

Ohio played host to the Dayton Flyers in a doubleheader. New lights installed at Ohio Softball Field allowed the games to be played at night – a first in Ohio softball history. The Bobcats also unveiled new black uniforms.

April 5:

Almost a month after Gellerman’s record-setter, the Bobcats broke two more program records in a doubleheader with the Toledo Rockets. Gellerman and first baseman Caitlin Colvin were the big bats for Ohio in these games.

Ohio’s catcher hit two home runs in game one and its first baseman hit two round-trippers in game two to give her 15 on the season. That total broke the previous record for home runs hit in a season, which was set in 2012 with 13 from Gellerman and Raven King. Also in game two, Gellerman hit her 115th career RBI to set Ohio’s career RBI record.

April 6:

In a win against Bowling Green and just a day after the single season record for home runs hit by a player was broken, Ohio broke the record for most team home runs in a season with its 48th. It broke the previous record of 47, which was set in 2012.

April 19:

Wearing their black uniforms again, the ‘Cats welcomed Ohio State to Athens to play another doubleheader under the lights. Gellerman hit three home runs and passed Colvin to lead the Green and White in home runs hit with 17. The catcher continued to swing a hot bat for the remainder of the season and never relinquished the team’s home run title.

April 28:

Gellerman hit her 21st bomb to set the team total at 71. The four-bagger gave Ohio possession of the single-season MAC home run record as a team, breaking Ball State’s mark of 70 set in 2012.

May 9:

In their second game of the 2013 MAC Tournament, the Bobcats defeated the Miami RedHawks, 3-2, and eliminated their rival from the tournament. Freshman pitcher Savannah Jo Dorsey threw a complete game for Ohio and Gellerman homered, but both were outshined by outfielder Alyssa Wolfe. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jenna Modic represented the winning run at home plate. She belted a pitch high and deep to left center. The ball appeared that it would leave the park, but Wolfe trailed the ball, and caught it while running over the outfield wall. She came back into play – with the ball still in her glove – and was congratulated in the outfield by her teammates. The excitement of Wolfe’s amazing grab reached its peak that night when it was highlighted on SportsCenter’s Top Plays as the No. 2 play of the day.

May 10:

After all of the excitement of the previous day, the Bobcats still had a game to play against Kent State. Ohio had to keep its focus to defeat the Golden Flashes and it was tested by a rain delay that lasted five hours and 31 minutes. The ‘Cats passed the test and defeated the Flashes, 5-4. The game’s first pitch was set for 1:30 p.m., but the game did not end until roughly 10 p.m.

May 11:

Ohio suffered a 7-6 defeat at the hands of the Ball State Cardinals, but Gellerman continued to swing a hot bat. Her RBI single in the third inning was her 58th of the season. That total gave her the second most RBIs in a single season in MAC history. Just three innings later, the star catcher added two more RBIs when she blasted a two-run home run to tie that game at 6-6. It was her 26th of the season and the 48th in her career, and it put her in second on the MAC career list.

Gellerman shattered records all season and distanced herself to make them even more challenging to break again. 28 homers was the career record at Ohio and she added 20 more to that. She doubled the previous record of single season home runs and drove in 22 more runs after setting the career RBI mark.

Ohio set the single-season team home run record in consecutive years. This year the Bobcats hit 80 dingers – a number that will certainly be tough to surpass in the future. It even has the chance to stand as the MAC single-season record for a long time to come.

Gellerman’s 26 long balls this season were the second most hit in all of NCAA Division I softball as of May 12. The number stands second only to the 30 hit by Megan Baltzell of Longwood. Gellerman also finished the season batting .405 and carried a .948 slugging percentage that is fourth best in the nation.

Though the San Diego native led Ohio’s offensive force, she had plenty of help for her teammates.

Colvin was one of the biggest contributors. The pitcher-turned-first baseman hit 18 home runs, which is good for 10th in the nation. She also batted in 37 runs to go along with a .646 slugging percentage.

Outfielder Adrienne Gebele was another big part of the offensive success. The sophomore batted .291 this season, slugged .556, hit 11 home runs and brought in 29 runs along the way. Next year as a junior, she will try her best to fill in the hole at catcher left behind by Gellerman.

Gebele will be just one of several players that will become the leaders of Ohio softball after the graduation of a stellar senior class. The 2013 season was one for the ages and a team with new leaders at the helm will look to add to the history in 2014.

Marietta Drops Thomas More 16-1 (WOUB Sports)

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:14:59 +0200

Terre Haute, IN

Andrew Gaug

After an 11-1 victory on Wednesday, the No. 2 Marietta College Pioneers (31-12) continued their torrid scoring on Thursday en route to a 16-1 victory over the sixth-seeded Thomas More Saints (30-15).

Every player tends to have a good game when a team scores 16 runs, but Chris Winpigler and Tim McCoy played exceptionally well for the “Etta Express.” Both players had three hits on the night. Winpigler had six RBIs and McCoy added four to the mix.

The Pioneers got to work early, and took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Winpigler got the scoring started with a two-run double. An error brought in another run, and McCoy drove in the final run of the inning with a double to left center.

The offensive barrage continued in the second inning. A sacrifice fly by Winpigler and another error scored two more for the Pioneers. With two outs, Aaron Hopper got in on the action when he tripled and drove in two runs. A McCoy RBI single gave Marietta a nine-run lead.

Grant Lewis took the mound for Thomas More and only lasted two innings. Though he allowed nine runs, just five were earned, but he still took the loss. Logan Miller took the mound in third to relieve Lewis.

Winpigler’s hot night continued in the third inning, when he hit his second two-run double of the night to put his team up 11-0. He picked up another RBI in the fifth inning and Marietta took a 12-0 lead.

The Saints finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brad Popham walked and with two outs, Jason Handley drove him in with an RBI double to left center.

After going scoreless for two innings, the Pioneers’ offense struck again in the top of the eighth.

McCoy hit a double with the bases loaded to bring in two runs and pinch hitter Josh Ungerbuehler delivered another two-run hit with a single down the left field line for the final runs of the ball game.

Miller was roughed up by Marietta as well. He pitched six innings and allowed seven runs. No pitcher could stop the Pioneers’ offense, but Marietta’s pitching was dominant Thursday. Mike Mulvey pitched seven strong innings and got the win, allowing just one run to score. Luke Langdon and Kyle Kiser each pitched a perfect inning of relief.

The Pioneers have outscored their opponents 27-2 in their first two games of the Mideast Regional. None of their runs scored have come via home run.

Marietta advances to play top-seeded Manchester University Friday. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Baseball. Ohio Drops Series Opener at Miami, 12-7 (ohiobobcats.com)

Fri, 17 May 2013 04:59:59 +0200

Sophomores Jake Madsen and Cody Gaertner combined to drive in four runs, but it was not enough as the Ohio University baseball team (13-38, 8-17 MAC) dropped a 12-7 decision to Miami University (24-27, 13-12 MAC).

Softball. Lauren Gellerman Named NFCA Second Team All-Region (ohiobobcats.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:34:53 +0200

Just a few days removed from her second straight First Team All-Mid-American Conference honor, Lauren Gellerman (San Diego, Calif.) of the Ohio University softball team was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Mideast Region Second Team for the second year in a row.

General News. Bobcat Caravan Series Comes to Columbus Tonight (ohiobobcats.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:31:16 +0200

The Ohio Bobcat Club and the Ohio University Alumni Association will be making its final stop as part of the annual Bobcat Caravan Series tonight as it makes its way into Columbus.

W. Soccer. Ohio Soccer Summer Blog: Nicole Amari (ohiobobcats.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:48:19 +0200

This summer, student-athletes on the Ohio University soccer team will be writing a weekly blog series about their lives as Bobcats. The series begins this week and will carry all the way through the first five games of the 2013 regular season.

Ohio AD Jim Schaus Was Contacted For Rutgers Position (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:12:11 +0200

Athens, OH

Matthew Doyle

Photo Credit:

Grant Burkhardt

Ohio University athletic director Jim Schaus (middle) and president Roderick McDavis (right) welcome Jim Christian to the men's basketball program.

Rutgers University announced Wednesday the hiring of Julie Hermann as its new athletic director. The former Louisville AD will replace Tim Pernetti after he resigned on April 9, three days removed from the firing of men’s basketball coach Mike Rice for controversial actions done in practice.

Current Ohio AD Jim Schaus was among those contacted in regards to his interest to the position, but he did not take any initiative into pursuing the position.

Mycentraljersey.com Rutgers beat writer Keith Sargeant listed Schaus as a candidate expected to be interviewed in his article published on May 8.

Sargeant declined to comment on who his sources were, but said, “I stand behind every word of my reporting throughout the six-week AD search.”

Ohio Athletics released a statement Thursday in regards to the report, stating, “Jim Schaus was not a candidate for the Rutgers Athletic Director position.”

Rutgers' Kate Sweeney and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Richard Edwards, co-chairs of a 26-person selection committee, reportedly completed the interviews last Thursday and Friday. Both were unavailable to give information on the process and outcomes.

Schaus was named Ohio’s Director of Athletics on April 7, 2008 after serving the same position at Wichita State for nine years.

He has helped build Ohio into a very successful program in the Mid-American Conference. Since Schaus' hiring, Ohio Athletics has received several accolades, including being ranked 12th nationally in 2010 for economic efficiency based on resourceful investment and team success. He also has balanced a budget that was at one time $2.3 million annual deficit.

Under Schaus’ guidance, the athletic program has significantly improved. The Ohio football team has won back-to-back bowl games and the men’s basketball team went to the Sweet Sixteen in 2012 and the NIT in 2013. The average student-athlete GPA has also risen to 3.1.

Carrie Guides Showcase Through Peden (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:58:48 +0200

Athens, OH

Seth Austin

Photo Credit:

Ryan Young

Ohio and Marshall tangled on Saturday, with Ohio finishing a 44-7 win over the Herd. It was Ohio's first win in the rivalry since 2000.

Ohio senior cornerback Travis Carrie welcomed the crew of The Bobcat Sports Showcase to his home, Peden Stadium, for a tour to see the ins and outs of Bobcat football. Carrie’s tour includes seeing Ohio’s meeting rooms, workout facilities and a look at its new trophy case.

Carrie, returning from injury this season, looks to return to the form in which he played two seasons ago that earned him Thorpe Watch List in the preseason last year. On Sunday, Carrie was named a team captain for the second straight season joining Tyler Tettleton, Beau Blankenship, Donte Foster and Keith Moore.

The Bobcats kick off their 2013 season in Louisville where they will play the Cardinals Saturday Sep. 1 on ESPN.

Marietta Routs Penn State Behrend In Opening Round (WOUB Sports)

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:28:19 +0200

Terre Haute, IN

Andrew Gaug

In round one of the 2013 NCAA Mideast Regional, the No. 2 Marietta College Pioneers (30-12) defeated the No. 7 Penn State Behrend Lions (30-11) in decisive fashion, 11-1.

A full team effort got it done for the Pioneers. The offense brought in 11 runs, which were more than enough for Marietta’s starter, Jason Byers. He pitched eight scoreless innings, allowed five hits and struck out 10 batters.

Though everyone in the lineup contributed, senior catcher Alex Toth led the way offensively. He had three hits in five at-bats and drove in three runs.

The Pioneers’ offense was busy from the beginning, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. After getting the first two runners aboard and in scoring position, Toth hit a single down the right field line to give Marietta an early 2-0 lead.

Marietta tacked on two more runs in the third with an RBI double from Mitch Geers and a sacrifice fly by Aaron Hopper. Another run was added in the seventh inning, and Penn State Behrend starter Ryan Jacobs left the game with his team down 5-0. He went seven innings, and took the loss after allowing three earned runs to score on 10 hits.

Jacobs left the game and the Pioneers’ offense exploded in the eighth for six runs. They scored all six runs without two of the opposing pitchers even recording an out.

Bryan Gregorich got the scoring started with an RBI single. Then, with the bases load, two walks and a hit batter brought in three more runs for Marietta. Another RBI single for Toth and another sacrifice fly from Geers tacked on the final two runs of the inning, and improved the Pioneers’ lead to 11.

Penn State Behrend was able to avoid the shutout in the top of the ninth. With Mike Fulton on the mound, Matt Bittner drove in Ryan Kragnes with a single up the middle to score his team’s lone run.

Marietta’s next opponent will be the sixth-seeded Thomas More College Saints. The Saints routed the third seed Wooster, 20-4 Wednesday. First pitch is set for Thursday at 7:45 p.m.

Baseball. Ohio Concludes Its Regular Season at Miami (ohiobobcats.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:27:55 +0200

The Ohio University baseball team returns to action Thursday night as it travels to Miami this week for the start of its final three-game series of the season as it takes on the Redhawks.

General News. Bobcat Caravan Series: Lancaster Photos (ohiobobcats.com)

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:41:31 +0200

The Bobcat Caravan Series visited Lancaster, Ohio, on Wednesday night. More than 75 people visited the Ohio University Lancaster campus to visit with Ohio coaches and win prizes.

Football. Ohio Football Announces 2013 Captains (ohiobobcats.com)

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:45:33 +0200

Seniors Travis Carrie, Beau Blankenship, Donte Foster, Keith Moore and Tyler Tettleton were named captains for the 2013 Ohio University football team in a vote conducted by their teammates.

Herman, Huynh Remain With Teams; Allen, Others Cut (WOUB Sports)

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:29:46 +0200

Athens, OH

Bryan Vance

Photo Credit:

Ryan Young

Ohio's high flying Bakari Bussey (17) celebrates after a big catch during Saturday's 44-7 win over Marshall.

This past weekend five former Bobcat football players took part in NFL rookie mini-camps with hopes of making a career in the NFL. Working alongside other rookies, free agents and select veterans, the former Bobcats were all vying for spots on crowded NFL rosters.

Former Ohio lineman Eric Herman, who was selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the New York Giants, had a strong performance over the weekend, but remains unsigned. Herman, a four-year starter for Ohio, took some snaps at center while also getting time next to Giants first-round pick Justin Pugh at right guard.

Herman has been heralded for his strength and versatility so far. He was a top performer at the NFL Combine, bench-pressing 225 pounds 36 times. He also recorded 335.5 pancake blocks during his playing career with Ohio. Following the first day of practices at Giants mini-camp, Herman was asked to explain what a pancake block was.

“It’s when you take your opponent to the ground, unwillingly,” Herman said to Art Stapleton, Giants beat writer for The Bergen (New Jersey) Record.

The Giants have an aging offensive line and after a solid weekend showing his versatility Herman could wind up with a roster spot heading into the season.

Former Ohio defensive lineman Neal Huynh, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons after the NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent, also remains with his team following the weekend. The Falcons are relatively thin at the defensive tackle spot. Returning starter Jonathan Babineaux led all Falcons’ defensive tackles with 31 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. After Babineaux, though, the experience level and production drops off. Four Falcons defensive tackles have one year or less of experience, including Huynh. If he has a good summer Huynh could find himself with a roster spot and possibly even some time on the defensive line rotation this fall.

Skyler Allen also signed as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft, with the Detroit Lions. Allen was a two-year starter for Ohio at center. He was expected to fill a void in the offensive line depth, with the only center on the Lions roster being 13-year veteran and longtime starter Dominic Raiola. However, following the Lions mini-camp Allen was cut from the team according to PrideOfDetroit.com.

Former Bobcat wide receiver Bakari Bussey also attended the Lions mini-camp, as an unsigned free agent, but was not picked up following the three-day tryout. Former Ohio tight end Jordan Thompson, who took part in the Kansas City Chiefs mini-camp, and defensive end Tremayne Scott, who tried out for the Dallas Cowboys, also remained unsigned following the weekend.

W. Soccer. Ohio Soccer Introduces Summer Blog Series (ohiobobcats.com)

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:08:47 +0200

Beginning this summer, student-athletes on the Ohio University soccer team will be writing a weekly blog series about their lives as Bobcats. The series begins this week and will carry all the way through the first five games of the 2013 regular season.

Ohio Women's Track Signs Local Discus Thrower For 2013 Class (WOUB Sports)

Wed, 15 May 2013 02:59:10 +0200

Athens, OH

Bryan Vance

The Ohio University women’s track and field team landed a local recruit Monday with the signing of discus thrower Emma Ryan. The Warren High School (Vincent, Ohio) senior signed her National Letter of Intent as a member of the 2013 recruiting class in a Monday ceremony according to the Marietta Times.

Ryan, a 5-foot-11 thrower, is a three-time All-Ohio honoree in the discus and three-sport letterwinner. She played volleyball, basketball and competed in track and field for the Warriors.

"[Ryan] played other sports in high school, and it'll be interesting to see what she accomplishes in college when she focuses on throwing year-round," Warren girls track and field head coach Sally Maddox told the Marietta Times.

Ryan primarily threw the discus in high school but will also compete in the hammer throw and weight throw for Ohio when she joins the team in the fall. She joins a women’s track team that recently finished in ninth place at the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championships in Akron, Ohio. Bobcats senior discus thrower Alexi Macri finished 13^th in discus throw at the event with a score of 139-11.

Last year at the Ohio High School Track and Field State Championships, Ryan threw a personal best 136-5, good enough for a seventh place finish amongst Division I throwers.

Ryan is currently finishing up her senior season with the Warriors and is seeking a fourth All-Ohio mention. She will compete in the OHSAA State Track and Field Championship at Ohio State on June 8, 2013.

General News. Bobcat Caravan Series Comes to Lancaster Wednesday (ohiobobcats.com)

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:10:23 +0200

The Ohio Bobcat Club and the Ohio University Alumni Association will be rolling into Lancaster, Ohio, Wednesday as part of their annual Bobcat Caravan Series.

General News. Vote Eisenstein for Call of the Year (ohiobobcats.com)

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:33:44 +0200

Stretch Internet, Ohio Athletics streaming partner, is conducting a broadcasting "Call of the Year" competition, and you can help the "Voice of the Bobcats" win.

Track. Accurso, Thompson Garner All-MAC Accolades (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:20:36 +0200

Junior distance runners Juli Accurso (Casstown, Ohio) and Melissa Thompson (Westerville, Ohio) earned All-MAC honors Monday after putting together a pair of impressive performances at this past weekend's MAC Outdoor Championships in Akron, Ohio.

General News. Bobcats Conclude Busy Day in Cleveland (ohiobobcats.com)

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:01:23 +0200

Head coaches Frank Solich and Jim Christian traveled to Cleveland, Ohio this past Thursday for Ohio University athletics' annual Bobcat Caravan stop. The day included several interviews, a first pitch at an Indians game and a whole lot of fun.

Nine Pioneers Earn All-OAC Honors (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:16:32 +0200

Marietta, OH

Bradley Parks

Nine Marietta College Pioneers earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors Monday. Catcher Alex Toth, outfielders Jordan Grilliot and Aaron Hopper, and pitchers Jason Byers and Mike Mulvey were all selected to the first team.

Toth started 39 games for Marietta and led the team with a .403 batting average. This season, Toth had a knack for just getting on base with a .463 on-base percentage and 38 singles. What’s more is Toth only struck out eight times this season in 144 at-bats.

In a conference not known for power, Grilliot led the Pioneers and finished tied for third in the OAC with four home runs. Grilliot was named to the Captial One Academic All-District First Team with a 3.77 grade point average. He majors in chemistry.

Hopper brought a steady glove to the Marietta outfield. He finished the season with no errors. At the dish, Hopper hit .348 and had the third most runs for the Pioneers with 41.

On the mound, Byers was Marietta’s workhorse. He threw five complete games this season, the most on the team, and posted a team low 2.64 ERA.

Byers and Mulvey tied for the OAC lead with 58 strikeouts apiece. The two combined for 13 wins.

Bryan Gregorich, Evan Brockmeier and Mike Finlan earned second team honors.

Mitch Geers earned an honorable mention.

Pioneers Earn At-Large Bid (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:47:56 +0200

Marietta, OH

Bradley Parks

The Marietta College Pioneers, despite losing the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament as the top seed, were selected as the No. 2 seed in the Mideast Regional in the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament.

Marietta dropped two games to the Otterbein Cardinals in the OAC Tournament to lose the postseason event for the first time in three years. However, the Pioneers’ 29-12 regular season record combined with a 15-3 OAC mark earned them the at-large bid.

The Pioneers will play the No. 7 Penn State Behrend Lions of Erie, Penn., on Wednesday at Art Nehf Field in Terre Haute, Ind. The start time is to be determined.

The Mount Union Purple Raiders won the OAC Tournament, earning them the No. 8 seed in the Mideast Regional.

St. Ignatius Shortstop Tyler Finkler Commits To Ohio (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:41:02 +0200

Athens, OH

Matthew Doyle

The recruiting season is in full swing for Ohio baseball coach Rob Smith. With his first season as head coach nearly complete, Smith received two commitments Sunday for the 2013 class.

The Bobcats’ program will welcome JUCO pitcher Nick Nauracy and St. Ignatius shortstop Tyler Finkler to the team next season. Finkler will join a squad that loses its senior shortstop, Dan Schmidt.

Schmidt has started all 50 games for the 13-37 Bobcats this season. Schmidt’s bat will be missed from the middle of the order. He has maintained a .269 batting average along with a team-high five home runs this season.

Schmidt’s fielding has struggled, though, as the shortstop committed a Mid-American Conference-high 23 errors this season, which is a .907 fielding percentage.

Under Finkler’s leadership, the St. Ignatius Wildcats have had an 18-6 record this season. He demonstrates a great fielding ability, consistency with the bat and great baseball instincts at the shortstop position.

Finkler visited Ohio University on Sunday and accepted Ohio’s baseball scholarship.

The St. Ignatius baseball program has had great success under head coach Brad Ganor, as Finkler becomes one of the 50-plus players to continue their baseball careers at the collegiate level.

Tettleton, Blankenship Among Five Named Football Captains (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:30:01 +0200

Athens, OH

Eric Singer

Photo Credit:

Ryan Young

Tyler Tettleton (left) and Donte Harden were on the same page against Temple. Harden rushed for 184 yards against the Owls in a 35-31 win.

Ohio Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations Jason Grooms announced via his Twitter account Sunday night that Seniors Tyler Tettleton, Beau Blankenship, Donte Foster, Keith Moore, and Travis Carrie were named as the team captains for the 2013 season. Both Carrie and Tettleton served as team captains in 2012 as well.

Tettleton, a redshirt-senior from Norman, Okla., has made his case to be remembered as one of the best, if not the best, quarterback to play at Ohio University. Tettleton already holds school records for career touchdowns (44), passing yards (5,943), and total offense (6, 787 yards). He also became the first QB in school history to throw for at least 2,500 yards in consecutive seasons at Ohio.

Blankenship, a redshirt senior from Norman, Okla., set a school record with 1,604 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns in 2012, breaking Kalvin McRae’s record of 1,434 yards set back in 2007. Blankenship also rushed for over 100 yards in eight of Ohio’s 12 games in 2012, including a career-high of 269 yards against Massachusetts on September 29.

Foster, a redshirt-senior from Guthrie, Okla., led the team in receiving in 2012. He finished the season with 59 catches for 659 yards and eight touchdowns. Foster had a career night in 2012 against Eastern Michigan, where he amassed 164 yards receiving and two touchdowns, including a career-long of 79 yards.

Moore, a redshirt-senior from Grove City, Ohio, became Ohio’s starting middle linebacker in 2012 after the graduation of former All-MAC player Noah Keller. Moore, a former walk-on, led the team in tackles with 98, and was also second on the team with two interceptions. Moore was one of the 50 nominees for the Burlsworth Trophy in 2012, which is awarded to the most outstanding player in the country who began their career as a walk-on.

Carrie, a sixth-year senior from Antioch, Calif., was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after missing all of the 2012 season with a shoulder injury. Before the injury, Carrie was named to the Thorpe Award watch list, awarded to the top defensive back in the country. In 2011, Carrie was named Second Team All-MAC at cornerback.

The Ohio Bobcats begin the 2013 season on Sunday, September 1, as they take on the Louisville Cardinals on ESPN.

Junior College Pitcher, Nick Nauracy Is Transferring To Ohio (WOUB Sports)

Mon, 13 May 2013 03:44:34 +0200

Athens, OH

Andrew Gaug

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Ohio's Connor Sitz pitches against Northern Illinois at home on April 21. The freshman went 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs in the loss.

The Ohio Bobcats pitching staff will be adding another arm for the 2014 season. Nick Nauracy, a right-hander and junior college transfer, will head to Athens after pitching the past two seasons for the Vincennes University Trailblazers, according to The Chicago Sun Times.

This season with the Trailblazers, Nauracy compiled a 2-5 record and an ERA of 4.77 in 12 starts. He pitched 60.1 innings and struck out 64 batters. In 2012 as a freshman, he carried a record of 5-3 and an ERA of 3.64 in 59.1 innings pitched.

The 6-foot-1 righty is from Crown Point, Ind., where he played for Crown Point High School. Morehead State and Western Michigan expressed interest in Nauracy out of high school, but he opted to stay in his home state and spend two years at Vincennes rather than make the jump to Division I baseball right away according to The Chicago Sun Times.

Nauracy will now have a chance to pitch at the Division I level with the Bobcats, and he will not be the only former Vincennes player in head coach Rob Smith’s program. Smith himself started his playing career with the Trailblazers in 1991 before transferring to Indiana Southeast.

Next up on the schedule for coach Smith and his squad are the Miami University RedHawks. Ohio will start the first of a three game series on Thursday. First pitch it set for 6 p.m. in Oxford, Ohio.

Ohio Baseball Loses Big on Senior Night (WOUB Sports)

Sun, 12 May 2013 23:16:51 +0200

Athens, OH

Bryan Vance

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Ohio shortstop Dan Schmidt watches the flight of his hit against Northern Illinois at Bob Wren Stadium.

The Bobcats took the field at Bob Wren for the final time this season Sunday afternoon losing 16-2 to Bowling Green. Ohio (13-37, 8-16 MAC) entered the game with an opportunity to win its first series of the season after splitting a double header with Bowling Green (18-26, 12-12 MAC) Saturday, but instead fell victim to many of the issues that have plagued the team all season.

“We knew going into the season we were going to have some pitching deficiencies. Today was another example of just going out there very short handed asking certain guys to maybe do more than what they're prepared or maybe capable of doing at this juncture in their careers,” head coach Rob Smith said after the game.

Ohio started off in the right direction, leaping out to an early lead. After drawing a walk to lead off the second inning, Ohio’s senior second baseman Ben Otto crossed home plate with two outs on a single by fellow senior J.R. Reynolds to give Ohio the early 1-0 lead after two.

But the lead wouldn’t last.

Ohio junior Sean Kennedy got the start on the afternoon, just his fourth of the season. The left-hander, primarily used out of the bullpen, entered the game with a 5.06 ERA. The junior cruised through the first two innings, taking complete control of the strike zone needing just 21 pitches to get through the first six batters. But in the third Kennedy’s control seemed to leave him as he labored through the inning, consistently throwing pitches behind the batters and in the dirt.

After loading the bases on two walks, Kennedy walked in the tying run, bringing the Falcon’s best hitter, catcher T.J. Losby, to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Losby launched a bases clearing double over the head of freshman center fielder Nick Squires, ending Kennedy’s no-hitter and giving Bowling Green the 4-1 lead.

The struggles didn’t end in the third inning. He coughed up another run in the top of the fourth and was yanked after just three and two-thirds innings pitched on the day.

Kennedy’s day came to an end in the fourth after giving up five runs on three hits while walking four. He was charged with the loss on the day, slipping to 4-3 on the season.

Nick Plys was brought in to relieve Kennedy, but his day on the mound was short lived. In the top of the sixth with one out and a runner on third, Ohio made a costly fielding error opting for the force out at second and an attempted double-play instead of getting the runner at home. The mistake allowed a Falcon run and after back-to-back doubles led to two more runs, Plys was pulled in favor of Ryan Ferrall.

The mistake was one that coach Smith said has plagued the team all season.

“As we've tried to build this [program] we've talked about building it on pitching and defense and we continue to see deficiencies in our defending. Our ability to make what I consider really routine plays …Those are areas we've got to improve upon,” Smith said

After pitching effectively in the seventh inning, Ferrell coughed up a three-run home run to Falcons first baseman Jeremy Shay in the top of the eighth, increasing the lead to 11-1 Bowling Green in the eighth. Shay finished the game with six RBI and two runs on two hits.

Ferrell closed out the game for the ‘Cats, giving up five more runs. The freshman finished the game giving up eight runs, four earned, on nine hits.

As has been the case all season, Ohio’s offense struggled to make up for the pitching staffs woes. Falcons’ reliever Ben Singer (1-2) shut down the ‘Cats already stagnant offense after entering the game to start the fifth inning. The right-hander allowed just one Ohio hit in first three innings on the mound.

Falcons’ reliever Trevor Blaylock closed out the game in the ninth, allowing a final Bobcat run, but it was too little too late for Ohio.

Before the game the five senior members of the team (Otto, Reynolds, Marck Paliotto, Dan Schmidt and Brett Barber) were honored for Ohio’s senior day. Decked out in graduation caps, the four graduating seniors were honored in a mock graduation ceremony, complete with a speech from Ohio University President Roderick McDavis. Only Schmidt didn’t take part in the commencement ceremony as he has one more semester to go before he can graduate. The jolly ceremonies were the only high point of the day for the ‘Cats.

It was a bad way for the seniors to go out, but after the struggles the team has faced all season it was also fitting. Smith said that at the start of the season he was obviously optimistic, but at a certain point they all realized that the issues the team had with depth and experience were too large to overcome.

With the loss the ‘Cats are all but mathematically eliminated from any chance at making the MAC Tournament. Currently Ohio sits at the bottom of the East division with just eight conference wins. Only the top eight teams make it into the MAC tournament.

Smith acknowledged the team has come to grips with their fate, but that he still expects them to go out and play hard. The ‘Cats have one final series left against Miami (Ohio) on the road starting Thursday at 6 p.m..

"We're going to have to sweep and we've yet to win back-to-back games more than once. We've not one a series all year. To expect us to go in and sweep, would be a pretty tall order. But our guys will play hard, they will play hard," Smith said.

Baseball. Ohio Drops 16-2 Series Finale To Bowling Green (ohiobobcats.com)

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:12:03 +0200

The Ohio University baseball team (13-37, 8-16 MAC) fell to Bowling Green (18-26, 12-12 MAC) by the score of 16-2 in the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday at Bob Wren Stadium.

Ohio Baseball Drops Game Two To Falcons In Extras, 7-2 (WOUB Sports)

Sun, 12 May 2013 04:51:52 +0200

Athens, OH

Carter Eckl

Photo Credit:

Kate Hiller

Ohio's Connor Sitz pitches against Northern Illinois at home on April 21. The freshman went 5.1 innings and allowed three earned runs in the loss.

After winning the first game of a doubleheader with Bowling Green in extras, Ohio allowed five runs in the 10th inning of game two, falling, 7-2.

The ‘Cats and the Falcons entered extra innings tied at 2 when the Bowling Green blew the door open.

The Falcons got three singles in the top of the 10th inning, and Brandon Howard knocked in a run with a bases-loaded hit. Then, Bowling Green scored another run on a walk by ‘Cats pitcher Logan Cozart.

Nick Glanzman followed by reaching first base on a costly error by left fielder Tyler Wells, which allowed three unearned runs to score for the Falcons.

Connor Sitz started the game on the hill for the Bobcats and went a strong 7.2 innings. He gave up two runs on five hits and allowed three walks. Sitz (2-6) received a no decision for his efforts.

Cozart took the loss and fell to 1-5 on the season.

Bowling Green starter Mike Frank held the ‘Cats to only four hits in game two.

Frank pitched a 10-inning complete game, giving up two runs with four strikeouts. He picked up his fourth win on the season to move to 4-7 overall.

Two of Ohio’s four hits came from Tyler Wells, who came around to score one of the two Bobcat runs on the day.

Howard led the way for the Falcons, going 3-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Bobcats are now 13-36 on the year, with an 8-15 record in MAC play.

Ohio will take on Bowling Green Sunday afternoon in a series rubber match. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.