Ohio State’s Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics watch list

The people. The tradition. The excellence. Those three words symbolize the pride that is rampant among a nation of believers and supporters of all things Ohio State Buckeye and everything scarlet and gray.

And something that brings out Buckeye pride as much as anything is an Olympic year, and we’re now in one with the 2020 Summer Olympic Games set for July 24 through Aug. 9 in Tokyo. But the Buckeyes have to get there, first, and there will be no shortage of Ohio State student-athletes, former student-athletes and coaches competing to represent their nation at Tokyo 2020.

Four members of the Ohio State rowing team have already qualified for the games. Additionally, as many as 50 or more Ohio State student-athletes, former student-athletes or coaches are vying to qualify and others are still seeking Olympic Trials qualifying standards.

Below is Ohio State’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics “watch list.” Swimming, diving, track and field and additional Olympic trials qualifiers are still to be determined.

*Current Ohio State student-athlete or coach (17)

Diving (5)

U.S. Olympic Trials – June 13-21, Indianapolis (IUPIU Natatorium)

• *Lexie Barker (Larkspur, Colo.) – A junior diver for the Buckeyes who is majoring in zoology; qualified for the NCAA championships in 2019 on both the 3-meter springboard and on platform.
• *Joseph Canova (Gaithersburg, Md.) – A current junior for the Buckeyes who is majoring in biomedical engineering; 2019 All-American after placing seventh on platform; also qualified for NCAA championships on the 3-meter springboard.
• *Jacob Fielding (Los Angeles) – An Ohio State sophomore who is majoring in psychology; honorable mention All-American as a freshman on platform; 2018 USA junior World Championships team member.
• *Jacob Siler (Knoxville, Tenn.) – A current Ohio State junior majoring in speech and hearing science who qualified for NCAA championships on all three boards in 2019; NCAA qualifier on platform in 2018.
• *Lyle Yost (Shaker Heights, Ohio) – True freshman at Ohio State who is majoring in behavior, culture and context; a three-time Ohio High School Athletic Association state champion and prep national champion.

Fencing (12)

U.S. Olympic Trials – April 12-19, Sarasota, Fla.

• Fares Arfa (Laval, Quebec) – A 2017 Ohio State graduate with a degree in political science; placed in the top-20 of men’s sabre at the NCAA Championships all four years as a Buckeye, including third in his senior season.
• Marc-Antoni Blais Belanger (Montreal) – The 2019 mechanical engineering grad earned a national championship in men's epee in 2018, Ohio State’s first in the weapon since 2013; a current member of team Canada.
• *Diego Cervantes (Tijuana, Mexico) – A current Ohio State freshman majoring in economics and looking to represent Mexico in Tokyo this summer; the foil fencer has made multiple appearances in international competitions over the last year.
• *Emma von Dadelszen (Vancouver, British Columbia) – A fifth-year senior at Ohio State studying health sciences; she has placed three times at the NCAA Championships as a Buckeye, including as high as sixth last year.
• Alanna Goldie (Calgary, Alberta) – A four-time All-American for Ohio State; she earned bronze at NCAAs from 2014-16 and silver in 2017; graduated from Ohio State in 2018 with a degree in criminology and is looking to represent Canada in the 2020 Olympic games.
• Eileen Grench (Davis, Calif.) – Graduated from Ohio State in 2009 as a double major in Spanish language and international relations; she competed in womenvs sabre for Panama in the 2016 Rio Olympic games.
• Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, Ontario) – Graduated from Ohio State in 2017 with a psychology degree; earned an NCAA title in women’s foil in 2016 and went on to represent Canada in the Rio Olympic games later that year.
• Jason Pryor (Cleveland) – A 2009 Ohio State graduate with a degree in English; earned two top-10 finishes at the NCAA tournament during his time as a Buckeye before he went on to represent Team USA at the 2016 Olympic games.
• *Hudson Santana (Bronx, New York) – A second-year Buckeye who is exploring degrees in management and industry; he is battling for a spot on the Cuban sabre team for Tokyo 2020.
• *Julieta Toledo (Tijuana, Mexico) – A current Ohio State freshman studying moving image production; she competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games for Mexico and hopes to return to Olympic strips this summer.
• *Alexanne Verret (Quebec City, Quebec) – Has represented Canada internationally since 2014 and is vying for her first Olympic appearance; the current Ohio State senior is studying accounting and placed 16th at the 2016 NCAA Championships in women’s epee.
• *Monteserrat Viveros (Paraguay) – A current Ohio State freshman who has competed in and performed well at multiple world cups, grand prix events, and world championships in women’s epee.

Gymnastics (2)

U.S. Olympic Trials: June 25-28 at St. Louis

• Sean Melton (Orlando, Fla.)– Current member of the U.S. Senior National Team; helped Buckeyes to 2016 and 2017 Big Ten championships and three times – 2016-17-18 – won the Big Ten all-around title; 10-time All-American and the 2018 Nissen Emory Award recipient as nation’s outstanding senior gymnast; a 2018 Ohio State graduate with a degree in hospitality management.
• Alec Yoder (Indianapolis) – Current member of the U.S. Senior National Team; 10-time Ohio State All-American who was the 2019 NCAA pommel horse champion and a two time Big Ten champion; helped the Buckeyes to 2016 and 2017 Big Ten team championships; graduated in Spring 2017 with a degree in sport industry.

Pistol (4)

U.S. Olympic Trials: Feb. 24-March 2 at Ft. Benning, Ga. (AMU Ranges)

• *Katelyn Abeln (Douglasville, Ga.) – A current freshman at Ohio State who is majoring in biology; has extensive international experience: 2017 Junior Olympic and National junior champion in 25-meter sport pistol; member of gold medal-winning sport pistol team at 2018 Championship of the Americas in Mexico; silver medalist at 2018 World Championships in South Korea in sport pistol.
• *Samuel Gens (Andover, Mass.) – Current Ohio State junior majoring in civil engineering who won the 2019 free pistol national championship and was runner-up in the junior nationals’ air pistol competition.
• *Anthony Lutz (Orient, Ohio) – Third-year Ohio State assistant pistol coach who was third at the 2019 National Championships in air pistol; spent nearly two years as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
• Anthony McCollum (Purdin, Mo.) – Graduated from Ohio State in autumn 2019 with a degree in mechanical engineering; he won two individual national championships and a team title with the Buckeyes.

Rowing (7)

U.S. Olympic Trials – April 12-19, Sarasota, Fla.

• Allyson Baker (North Royalton, Ohio) – A member of the United States’ senior national team; competed for Ohio State and helped the Buckeyes win the 2015 NCAA championship; 2016 Ohio State graduate with a degree in health sciences.
• Aina Cid (Amposta, Spain) – Will compete for Spain at 2020 Games and also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro; helped Buckeyes win the 2015 NCAA title and graduated in 2018 with a degree in exercise science.
• Ida Kruse (Muenster, Germany) – 2019 Ohio State graduate with a degree in biology will be competing to represent Germany at the Summer Olympic Games.
• Alessandra Montesano (Rivarolo del Re ed Uniti, Italy) – Spent two seasons – 2018 and 2019 – rowing for the Buckeyes before electing to train and compete for Italy in the 2020 Games; was majoring in communications.
• Holly Norton (Johannesburg, South Africa) – Will compete for Great Britain in 2020 Games; psychology major at Ohio State who graduated in 2016 and helped Ohio State win NCAA rowing championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
• Ilse Paulis (Dalen, Netherlands) – Will be competing in her second Summer Olympics for the Netherlands; won gold in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro in lightweight double sculls; a microbiology major who lettered for Ohio State in 2012.
• Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino (Villefranche-sur-Mer, France) – Will compete in her second Summer Olympics (2016 Rio de Janeiro) for France; helped Buckeyes win 2014 and 2015 NCAA championships and was majoring in pre-consumer and family financial services.

Soccer (2)

• Tiffany Cameron (Mississauga, Ontario) – A 2013 Ohio State graduate with a degree in communications vying to play for Jamaica at Tokyo 2020; played in two matches for Jamaica in the 2019 Women’s World Cup; a second-team All-American for Ohio State in 2012 who remains the Buckeyes’ all-time leading scorer with 40 goals and 96 career points.
• Nichelle Prince (Ajax, Ontario) – A 2017 Ohio State graduate with her degree in sport industry; a veteran of 55 international appearances with the Canadian National Team, including helping Canada win bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games; sixth all-time at Ohio State with 74 career points.

Track & Field (6)

U.S. Olympic Trials – June 19-28, Eugene, Oregon (Hayward Field Stadium)

• Maggie Barrie (Columbus, Ohio) – Ohio State 400-meter record holder who will be vying to compete for Sierra Leone at the Tokyo 2020 games; competed at the Doha 2019 IAAF World Championships in the 400 meters; part of a 4x400-meter Ohio State Big Ten championship relay team in 2017; graduated in 2018 with a degree in computer science.
• Christina Clemons [Manning] (Waldorf, Md.) – Sprinter was an 11-time All-American at Ohio State and a 10-time Big Ten Conference champion; won NCAA national titles in the 60- and 100-meter hurdles, respectively; fifth at 2016 Olympic Trials in the 100-meter hurdles; a 2012 Ohio State graduate with a degree in criminology.
• Michael Hartfield (Manchester, Conn.) – Graduated from Ohio State in 2013 with a degree in psychology; was a five-time Big Ten champion – four times in the long jump and once in the triple jump – and the Big Ten athlete of the year in 2011; competed for Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Jackson Neff (Cincinnati) – A 2015 Ohio State graduate with a degree in marketing; won the 2014 Big Ten championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase; qualified for the 2015 NCAA championships.
• *Sade Olatoye (Dublin, Ohio) – Seeking a spot on the Nigerian Summer Olympics team after competing for her country at the Doha 2019 IAAF World Championships; two-time Big Ten indoor field athlete of the year, five-time Big Ten champion and 2019 NCAA indoor champion in the weight throw (24.46-meters; 80 feet 3 inches); competes for the Buckeyes; majoring in health sciences.
• Julia Rizk (Blacklick, Ohio) – A 2019 Ohio State graduate with a degree in mathematics; won the 2019 NCAA indoor mile championship as a senior for Ohio State; was a finalist in the mile at 2019 NCAA outdoor championships; school indoor record-holder in the mile (4:32.79).

Volleyball (2)

• Jake Hanes (Orland Park, Ill.) – Is completing his bachelor’s degree in economics at Ohio State and will then train with the U.S. National Team in Anaheim, Calif.; an honorable mention All-American in 2019 and first-team all-MIVA selection.
• Nic Szerszen (Paris) – The 2016 AVCA National Player of the Year after leading Ohio State to the first of back-to-back NCAA championships in 2016 and 2017; graduated from Ohio State with a mechanical engineering degree in spring 2018; currently plays professionally in Poland and, with dual citizenship, will be seeking to compete for Poland at the Summer Olympics.

Wrestling (6)

U.S. Olympic Trials – April 4-5, State College, Pa. (Bryce Jordan Center)

• *Nicholas Boykin (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) – A current Ohio State freshman majoring in pre-business who was a Junior World Team member for USA Wrestling (Greco-Roman).
• Myles Martin (Penn Grove, N.J.) – A four-time All-American for Ohio State (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), including a national championship as a true freshman in 2016; graduated in spring 2019 with a sport industry degree; currently trains with the Ohio Regional Training Center.
• Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J.) – 2019 NCAA finalist for Ohio State and graduated in spring 2019 with an operations management degree; currently trains at the Penn Regional Training Center.
• *Kollin Moore (Burbank, Ohio) – Current Ohio State redshirt senior pursuing master’s degree in kinesiology after graduating with a logistics management/operations management bachelor’s degree in spring 2019; he is a three-time All-American and currently ranked No. 1 in the country at 197 pounds.
• Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md.) – 2016 Olympic gold medalist in Rio who won three consecutive individual national championships as a Buckeye (2016, 2017, 2018) and led Ohio State to the 2015 NCAA team title; graduated in summer 2018 with a sport industry degree; trains with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.
• Nathan Tomasello (Parma, Ohio) – A four-time All-American for Ohio State (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), including a national championship as a freshman in 2015 when the Buckeyes brought home the NCAA team title; graduated in spring 2017 with a degree in sport industry and in autumn 2018 with a master’s in kinesiology; currently trains at the Ohio Regional Training Center.