Buckeyes recognized with academic awards

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Buckeyes recognized with academic awards

Hentschel and Thornton receive Big Ten Medal of Honor

The Ohio State University Department of Athletics recognized outstanding student-athletes and teams with postgraduate scholarships and awards Monday evening at the 2026 Scarlet and Graymies awards ceremony in the Covelli Center.

A total of 804 student-athletes were named Ohio State Scholar-Athletes this year. (Scholar-Athlete Honorees)

The winners of the prestigious Big Ten Medal of Honor were women's diver Lena Hentschel and Bruce Thornton of the men's basketball team.

The Big Ten Medal of Honor, given to the most outstanding male and female senior student-athlete on each Big Ten campus each year, is awarded to the respective male and female student-athlete who has "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." Finalists are selected based on their outstanding accomplishments in the classroom, on the field, and as leaders and role models within their program.

The men's finalists were Jack Anthrop (tennis), Cullen Brown (lacrosse), Davis Burnside (hockey) and Carson Kharchla (wrestling). The women's finalists were Chance Gray (basketball), Kary Hollenbaugh (golf), Emma Peschel (ice hockey) and Tory Vetter (gymnastics). (More on the finalists)

Hentschel and Thornton were also the winners of the Eugene D. Smith Award, which was established in 2024 to honor and recognize Gene Smith for his commitment and dedication to the student-athletes he served for 19 years. Each team is encouraged to nominate one student-athlete who embodies the mission of The Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute by exhibiting the highest level of character and leadership.

The recipient of the A.K. and Judith A. Pierce Phoenix Award, which is given to a student-athlete who has excelled in academics, athletics and personal growth attained through perseverance and hard work, was men's gymnast Jacob Harmon. The award is to be used to attend graduate or professional school at Ohio State, with preference given to someone who intends to enroll in the Fisher College of Business.

Kennedy Kay of the softball team received the John Dana Cole Award. The award, established in 1966 by a gift through the Development Fund from John D. Cole, provides a one-time stipend for postgraduate studies at Ohio State. The recipient of the scholarship is a student-athlete who shows promise for success in their chosen field and has demonstrated academic achievement (minimum 3.00 GPA).

The Leann Grimes-Davidge Award was given to Amani Kimball-McKavish of the women's lacrosse team. This award, which is a tribute to Grimes-Davidge's contributions to athletics at Ohio State, is presented annually to a female athlete who exemplifies Grimes-Davidge's outstanding qualities in athletic performance, scholarship, character, campus or community involvement, and leadership. A member of the Ohio State women's tennis team, Grimes-Davidge won four state and Big Ten titles. She graduated from Ohio State summa cum laude and received her master's degree from Miami University, where she served as the head women's tennis coach.

Varsity O recognized teams for their academic performance. Field hockey and women's soccer were honored for the top large team grade-point average, and dance and men's cross country were recognized among the teams with smaller rosters.

Women's swimmer Jessica Eden and Harmon from men's gymnastics were honored with the Varsity O Postgraduate Scholarship Awards, which provide each scholar-athlete selected (one male/one female) with a one-time stipend of $4,000 for postgraduate studies at Ohio State. Winners are selected not only for their academic and athletic success but also for their participation in community service, charitable work, and non-athletic activities and organizations at Ohio State.

The recipients of the M/I Homes Foundation Award, which has been presented annually since 1976, were women's rower Abby Thomas and Eden from women's swimming. The award was one of the first designed specifically to recognize and promote women's achievements in intercollegiate athletics at Ohio State. It provides an outstanding female scholar-athlete with $5,000 for postgraduate studies at Ohio State. The award is based on demonstrated athletic and academic success as well as community contributions through involvement in civic or university organizations.

Three Buckeyes received a Corwin A. Fergus Memorial Award - Brown from the men's lacrosse team, Sean Kaminski of men's track and field and Abbie Leverett of the pistol squad. Fergus scholars are male or female student-athletes who have excelled in athletics, achieved academically (3.00 GPA minimum), demonstrated positive qualities of character and citizenship, and shown potential for success in a graduate or professional program. Established in 1967, the award is given in memory of Corwin A. Fergus, a member of the Ohio State football team (1912-14), a graduate of the Ohio State School of Law and later a successful businessman. The award reflects his strong commitment to the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence and his positive contributions to society. The $5,000 postgraduate scholarships, which are renewable for up to three years, can be utilized for graduate study or professional programs at Ohio State.

The Woody and Anne Hayes Award was given to five standouts - Makayla Carahaly from field hockey, pistol's Leverett, Giovanni DeSantis of the cheer team, Johnathan Dorsten from pistol and men's fencer Solin Li. The award, established in 1979, provides financial assistance to one or more varsity athletes for postgraduate studies. The recipients of this scholarship are student-athletes who have demonstrated academic achievement (3.00 GPA minimum) and leadership qualities.

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