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ATHENS, Ohio – It might be cold and snowy outside, but the action inside the Convo is heading up as January comes to a close. Check out everything that’s ahead for Ohio Athletics in this week’s Paw Prints, presented by Memorial Health System.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jan. 27 / at Kent State / Kent, Ohio / M.A.C. Center / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Listen / Ohio Notes / Kent State Notes / Digital Guide
Jan. 31 / at Buffalo / Buffalo, N.Y. / Alumni Arena / 2 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Listen / Ohio Notes / Buffalo Notes / Digital Guide
The Ohio men’s basketball team (11-10, 5-4 MAC) is back on the road for two game this week starting on Tuesday, Jan. 27 when Ohio heads to Kent, Ohio to take on Kent State (15-5, 6-2 MAC). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the M.A.C. Center and can be seen on ESPN+. Ohio is back on the road on Saturday, Jan. 31 when the Bobcats travel to Buffalo, N.Y. to take on Buffalo (13-7, 2-5 MAC). Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET inside Alumni Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.
The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Jason Toy begins his second season on the mic for the Bobcats and will be joined by veteran and will be joined by veteran college basketball analyst Dave Cecutti. WXTQ (Power 105) in Athens returns as the 11-station net- work’s flagship and can be heard on the Varsity Network App.
Ohio is coming off a tough 1-2 week that saw the Bobcats fal to Toledo and Ball State on the road. Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio this past week on the court. Overall, averaged 19.5 points a game, while grabbing 2.0 rebounds and dishing out 4.0 assists a game. Overall, he went 11-of-23 (.478) from the field, 1-of-3 (.333) from three and 16-of-21 from the line (.762) while playing 37.5 minutes a game. Redshirt junior guard Javan Simmons added 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds a game, while freshman guard JJ Kelly averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game.
Kent State is currently 15-5 overall and 6-2 in MAC play and are coming off a 76-65 double overtime win at Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Delrecco Gillespie leads the Flashes with 19.4 points and 12.3 rebounds a game, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from three and 77.6 percent from the line. Morgan Safford adds 13.7 points and 6.0 rebounds a game, while Rob Whaley, Jr. averages 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and shoots 51.5 percent from the field.
Buffalo is currently 13-7 overall and 3-5 in MAC play and are coming off a one-point loss at home to UMass on Friday. The Bulls will take on Bowling Green on the road on Tuesday before hosting the Bobcats. The Bobcats defeated Buffalo, 91-80, on Jan. 10 in Athens. The Bulls are led by Daniel Freitag with 20.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game, while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 80.9 percent from the line. Ryan Sabol adds 18.1 points and 3.3 assists, while shooting 44.7 percent from the field, with Angelo Brizzi adding 11.4 points, while shooting 85.7 percent from the line.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Jan. 28 / vs UMass / Athens, Ohio / Convocation Center / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Ohio Notes / UMass Notes / Digital Guide / Tickets / First 200 students get Chick-Fil-a
Jan. 31 / at Miami / Oxford, Ohio / Millett Hall / 1 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch / Live Stats / Ohio Notes / Miami Notes / Digital Guide
The Ohio women’s basketball team (12-6, 6-2 MAC) are back in action this week starting on Wednesday, Jan. 28 when the Bobcats host UMass (14-4, 6-2 MAC) in Athens for the first time as a member of the MAC. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside the Convocation Center and can be seen on ESPN+. The first First 200 students to the game will get free Chick-Fil-a. Ohio is then back on the road on Saturday, Jan. 31 when the Bobcats head to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami (16-4, 8-0 MAC) for the first round of the Battle of the Bricks. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET inside Millett Hall and can be seen on ESPN+.
Ohio is coming off a 1-1 week after defeating Bowling Green on the road before falling to Toledo at home on Saturday. Redshirt sophomore guard Bella Ranallo led the Bobcats this past week with 19.5 points a game, while shooting 56.0 percent from the field, 58.3 percent from three and went 4-of-4 from the line. She also recorded four steals and averaged 2.5 rebounds a game. Junior Bailey Tabeling added 17.5 points and 5.0 rebounds a game, while shooting 61.1 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from three and going a perfect 9-of-9 from the line. Shw also averaged 3.0 assists, had three steals and two blocks.
UMass is currently 14-4 overall and 6-2 in MAC play and are coming off a one-point home win over Bowling Green on Saturday. Yahmani McKayle averages 16.3 points and 5.4 assists per game, while shooting 40.1 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three and 90.9 percent from the line. Megan Olbrys adds 14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds a game, while Allie Palmieri averages 12.4 points a game, while shooting 38.0 percent from the field.
Miami is currently 16-4 overall and 8-0 in MAC play. The RedHawks are coming off a 20-point win over Ball State on Saturday in Muncie and will travel to DeKalb on Wednesday to take on NIU before hosting the Bobcats on Saturday. Amber Tretter averages 13.9 points and 7.9 rebounds a game, while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 76.6 percent from the line. Amber Scalia adds 13.7 points and 2.5 assists a game, while shooting 45.8 percent from the field, while Ilse De Vries adds 12.4 points and 4.5 boards a game.
TRACK AND FIELD
Jan. 30-31 / at 2026 Meyo Invitational / South Bend, Ind. / Meyo Field / Friday: 4 p.m. ET; Saturday: 10 a.m. ET / Meet Schedule / Meet Information
The Ohio outdoor track and field team is back in action this weekend when they head to South Bend, Ind. Jan. 30-31 for the 2026 Meyo Invitational at Meyo Field. Events on Friday are set to begin at 4 p.m. ET, while Saturday is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET.
Ohio is coming off a solid weekend at the Ashland Invitational. Aubree Beery placed second in the weight throw with a career-best mark of 18.11 meters (59-5). She recorded two marks over 18.00 meters, for the first time in her career. Other top performers in the field events were freshman Alexys Sterling in the women’s long jump and graduate student Jasmine Correa in the women’s shot put. Sterling placed third in the long jump with a mark of 5.29 meters (17-4.25). Correa placed sixth in the shot put with a mark of 12.32 meters (40-5).
Ohio had several athletes record new PR’s in the women’s mile. Freshman Savana Miller led the Bobcats with third-place finish (5:01.16, PR). Senior Alyssa Mason placed fourth (5:01.35) and senior Morgan Roth followed behind in fifth place with a PR of 5:06.16. Sophomore Jaclyn Garvey also recorded a PR, placing seventh with a time of 5:17.41.
SWIM AND DIVE
Jan. 30-31 / at Akron / Akron, Ohio / Oliver J. Ocasek Natatorium / Friday: 5 p.m. ET; Saturday: 10 a.m. ET / Zips Digital Network / Watch
The Ohio swim and dive team (5-0, 3-0 MAC) is back in action for their final dual meet before MACs Jan. 30-31 when they head to Akron, Ohio to battle it out with Akron (3-1, 3-0 MAC) inside Oliver J. Ocasek Natatorium – the location of the 2026 MAC Championships. Friday is set to begin at 5 p.m. ET with Saturday’s events set to start at 10 a.m. ET. Both days will be streams on the Zips Digital Network.
Ohio last competed on Jan. 16 against Bowling Green, defeating the Falcons, 244-56. Senior Anna McGrath was named the MAC Swimmer of the Week following her performance. Individually, McGrath competed in the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle and was a member of a 200-yard freestyle relay team. In the 500-yard freestyle, McGrath finished in first place with a time of 4:57.07, and in the 200-yard freestyle she finished in second place with a time of 1:50.81. The 200-yard freestyle relay team finished in fourth place with a time of 1:47.67. McGrath has shaved off almost two seconds in each of her individual events.
Akron is coming off a third-place finish at the 2026 Tim Welsh Classic in South Bend, Ind. this past weekend. Prior to their trip to Notre Dame, the Zips defeated Toledo, 209-52 in Toeldo on Jan. 10.
WRESTLING
Jan. 30 / at Central Michigan / Mount Pleasant, Mich. / McGurik Arena / 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ / Watch
The Ohio wrestling team (4-3, 1-2 MAC) is back in action for another MAC dual on Friday, Jan. 30 when the Bobcats head to Mount Pleasant, Michigan to take on Central Michigan (6-4, 0-1 MAC). The dual is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET inside McGurik Arena and can be seen on ESPN+.
Ohio is coming off a close loss at Northern Illinois on Friday in DeKalb. Redshirt seniors Sal Perrine and Zayne Lehman were s standout performers for the Bobcats at 184 lbs and 197 lbs, respectively. Lehman recorded a dominant 22-5 technical fall win over NIU’s Dominic Heiim, scoring four takedowns and a nearfall in the first period to clinch the win. Perrine recorded six takedowns to take an 18-5 lead after the first period, before a seventh takedown in the second period secured a 22-5 technical fall win, including a bonus point for riding time. At 149 lbs, Paul Woo recorded a 4-1 sudden victory win, fighting a close fought 1-1 battle into extra time, before recording a takedown in the first sudden victory period to clinch a victory for the Bobcats in the final match of the night.
Central Michigan is 6-4 overall and 0-1 in MAC duals this season. CMU is loss at NIU on Jan. 16. This week’s dual at SIUE was postponed due to the weather.
Ohio and CMU met at the NWCA National Duals in the beginning of January, with CMU coming out on top, 23-15. Perrine, Lehman and Garrett Thompson picked up wins over CMU during the match.
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