Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Buckeyes
Institution:	The Ohio State University
Location:	Columbus, OH
School founded:	1870
Enrollment:	52,568
President:	E. Gordon Gee
Athletic Director:	Gene Smith
Colors:	Scarlet and Gray
Home Arena:	Jerome Schottenstein Center
Capacity:	17,200
Dimensions:	200' x 85'
Men's Team
Conference:	CCHA
Coach:	John Markell (Bowling Green '79)
Conf. Championships:	2004
Major Rivals:	Miami RedHawks Michigan Wolverines
Women's Team
Conference:	WCHA
Coach:	Jackie Barto (Providence '84)

The Ohio State Buckeyes are a Men's Division I team in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and a Women's Division I team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Men's program

The men's team first played in 1963, while in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (seperate from the current MCHA). As that league folded, a new league, the CCHA in 1971. That season, the Buckeyes won the regular season championship, and conference tournament championship. In the 1972-73 season and 1978-79 seasons, the Buckeyes were runners up in the conference tournament. Twenty years would pass before the Buckeyes would make it to the conference title game again. In 1997-98, the Buckeyes were runners up for the conference crown. In the 2003-04 season, the Buckeyes found themselves on the top of the CCHA hill for the first time since the 1971-72 season, as the Buckeyes defeated the Michigan Wolverines in the CCHA Tournament final.

The 1997-98 season also brought the Buckeyes to their first every NCAA Men's Hockey Championship berth. The Buckeyes managed to make it to the Frozen Four, a first in program history. The Buckeyes have also made it into post season play in the 1998-99 season, 2002-03 season, 2003-04 season, and the 2004-05 season.

Coaches

The Buckeyes have had seven coaches in their existance. During the first 12 seasons of play, the Buckeyes went through 5 different coaches: Tom Bedecki, Glen Sonmor, Harry Neale, Dave Chambers and Gerald Walford. It wasn't until the 1975-76 season when the Buckeyes had a coach that stuck around for a long period of time. Coach Jerry Welsh enjoyed a 20 year career with the Buckeyes, retiring part way though the 1994-95 season. He compiled a 328-381-56 record for his career with the Buckeyes.

John Markell took control of the hockey Buckeyes when Coach Welsh retired, and Coach Markell hasn't looked back. Through 11 seasons with Ohio State, coach Markell has 200-173-30 record. In that time, the Buckeyes have gathered 5 NCAA tournament bids, and one Frozen four apperance.

The Ohio State Women's Hockey team first fielded a varsity squad in the 1999-00 season. She has complied an 89-102-19 record leading the Buckeyes in the very difficult WCHA, which has produced the five champions since the NCAA started sponsoring the championship in the 2000-01 season.

Arenas

There have been two arenas used in the history of Buckeyes hockey. The first is the OSU Ice Rink, which is connected to St. John's Arena on the campus of OSU. It was constructed in 1961, just in time for the Men's hockey team to begin play. It currently seats approximately 1,000 people, with additional standing room for another 200 people. The OSU Ice Rink has served as home to the Women's hockey team since their ascention to varsity status before the 1999-00 season. The men played in the OSU Ice Rink from 1963 until 1998. On January 2, 1999, the Buckeyes moved into the Schottenstein Center, the largest on campus ice arena in the country. It seats 17,500 people for hockey games.

References

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