The Big Ten announced the conference’s list of Big Ten Distinguished Scholars for 2023-23 on Tuesday, and Ohio State led the way with 190 student-athletes earning those honors.
The total is the second-most in school history, behind 232 Distinguished Scholars in 2020-21. For the current academic year, Ohio State was ahead of Penn State (174) and Michigan State (153), the only other schools with at least 150 honorees.
To be recognized as a Distinguished Scholar, the recipient must earn Academic All-Big Ten recognition, must have been enrolled full-time for the previous academic year and hold a minimum 3.70 grade-point average during the academic year.
Ohio State’s football program had four Distinguished Scholars, including Kamryn Babb, Donovan Jackson, Max Lomonico and Jesse Mirco, while the women’s basketball team had a trio of Distinguished Scholars in Jacy Sheldon, Emma Shumate and Taylor Thierry. Ohio State’s rowing program had the most, with 22 Distinguished Scholars.
Among the 190 honorees, 47 were also recognized for holding a 4.0 grade-point average throughout the academic year. That list includes: Katelyn Abeln, pistol; Katelyn Bartos, women’s rowing; Drew Blanchard, men’s lacrosse; Jenna Buglioni, women’s hockey; Irina Cantos Siemers, women’s tennis; Faith Choi, women’s golf; Samuel Clark, men’s volleyball; Elexis Edwards, women’s gymnastics; Sam Faber, men’s lacrosse; Miranda Freedman, women’s fencing; Amy Fulmer, women’s swimming; Claire Gagliardi, women’s gymnastics; Jennifer Gardiner, women’s hockey; Maya Geringer, women’s swimming; Alexandra Gluntz, women’s rowing; Mia Grunze, women’s volleyball; McKenzie Hauswirth, women’s hockey; Leandra Hogrefe, women’s rowing; Teresa Ivan, women’s swimming; Jay Johnson, men’s swimming; Kira Katerle, women’s rowing; Natalie Katsuyama, rifle; Clark Kokenge, men’s fencing; Andrea Kuhn, women’s cross country/track & field; Henry Lange, men’s fencing; Jamie Level, women’s lacrosse; Amanda Ling, women’s diving; Emily Londot, women’s volleyball; Lucia Marzal, women’s tennis; Morgan Miller, women’s rowing; Connor Mitchell, men’s lacrosse; Mia Mlynek, women’s cross country/track & field; Reverie Nedde, synchronized swimming; Hannah Oliveros, women’s gymnastics; Darby Pethrick, women’s rowing; Mac Podraza, women’s volleyball; Sydni Ratliff, women’s tennis; Kristen Ruscitelli, women’s fencing; Mitchell Sandberg, men’s lacrosse; Olivia Schafer, synchronized swimming; Patrick Schmuecking, men’s golf; Zach Shultz, men’s cross country/track & field; Ivan Slyepkan, men’s cross country/track & field; Jack Studley, men’s gymnastics; Tess Thompson, women’s rowing; Jessy Vermeer, women’s rowing; and Katherine Zenick, women’s swimming.
