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US Headlines
State of the Union, U.S. military strikes Iran
FINN SMITH FOR THE POST
23 Mon _________________
EU, US discuss trade agreements amidst Supreme Court ruling
After the Supreme Court ruled against a handful of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, he expressed his intent to impose a global 15% tariff, according to The Associated Press.
Trump’s statements have ushered concern from the European Union, with the European Commission describing Trump’s actions as detrimental to fair trade.
The U.S. and EU landed on a trade deal in 2025 that imposed a 15% import tax on 70% of European goods exported to the U.S., the AP reported. Some of Europe’s largest exports to the U.S. include pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments and wine and spirits.
If unresolved, the conflict could close off the access to the EU’s 450-million customer market and cause losses up to billions of dollars to U.S. businesses and the economy.
24 Tue __________________
USA women’s hockey team declines invite to State of the Union
The recent gold-winning U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation to the State of the Union. The team said the inability to attend was due to timing and prior commitments, according to the AP.
The women’s team was not set to return to the U.S. until Monday evening via a commercial flight, whereas the U.S. men’s hockey team, who were in attendance, flew by charter earlier that same day. Additionally, the women’s team was supposedly not notified of the invitation until Sunday night, giving little time to adjust travel plans.
When inviting the men’s team, Trump joked he had to invite the women’s team or he would be impeached, the AP reported.
100 days and counting
KAITLIN
HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER
It has been more than 100 days since Ohio University responded to the United Academics of Ohio University’s proposal regarding faculty compensation and benefits.
OU and the UAOU began negotiations in August 2025 following the union’s successful certification election in spring 2025. The negotiations will determine the terms of the university’s first faculty union contract.
John O’Keefe, an associate professor of history at OU Chillicothe and UAOU’s director of communications, said the organization began forming in 2020 during the pandemic. The group held its certification election in spring 2025 and began formal bargaining later that year.
O’Keefe said although he holds the communications title, the union operates collectively and is focused on addressing concerns about faculty working conditions and equity.
According to the UAOU website, the union’s mission includes securing “a just, safe, equitable and collegial environment” for teaching and research, negotiating compensation and working conditions that support recruitment and retention, strengthening shared governance and defending academic freedom.
Since August 2025, UAOU representatives and university officials have met 14 times. Negotiations include UAOU’s negotiations team, university administrators and outside legal counsel retained by the university.
Student organizations share concerns with OU administration, SB1
DAWNELLE BLAKE FOR THE POST
After Senate Bill 1 passed, many students believe the transparency between students and Ohio University administrators became muddled. Both parties have attempted to determine what is permissible under SB1.
On Jan. 2, the Black Student Union posted a letter on Instagram directed at OU’s administration, which called out the lack of relationship between the administration and its students and expressed concerns with SB1 and its effects on the BSU and campus at large.
continued, pg. 6
President Lori Gonzalez meets with student organizations to discuss how SB1 negatively impacts them. Feb. 26, 2026, in Baker Center. (CAMDEN PAELTZ | FOR THE POST)
Chamber of Commerce holds first state of Athens address
AVERY ST. GEORGE FOR THE POST
The State of the Athens City and County Address was held at the Athens Community Center on Wednesday morning. The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce organized the address to discuss the 2025 Year in Review from city and county departments.
The Albany VFW Post 9893 started with the presentation of the colors to the full audience in the community center’s multipurpose rooms. The attendees included many local business owners and government officials across Athens County.
Kristin Miller, president and CEO of Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, made welcoming remarks, then discussed the 2025 review for the AACC. Miller said the chamber represented 375 businesses and organizations last year and saved its members $201,000. She also announced the AACC is relocating its offices to the Athens Armory building this year.
Next, Mayor Steve Patterson began by addressing the concerns about various construction projects around Athens. He mentioned the West Union Street construction, which affected business and traffic in the area, and the ongoing Stimson Avenue bridge construction Patterson said is 90% completed.
continued, pg. 3
US, Israel-led strikes in Iran bring war discussions to Congress
ALEXANDRA HOPKINS COMMUNITY STANDARDS EDITOR
The U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian military officials. These strikes came after weeks of growing U.S. military presence in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump announced the U.S. military began “major combat operations” in Iran early Saturday. The first series of attacks included multiple strikes in Tehran, and over a dozen across the country. The attack occurred two days after failed negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to restrict Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran launched retaliatory attacks at Israel and Persian Gulf-based U.S. forces Sunday.
Three U.S. service members have been killed and five more
have been wounded during military operations in Iran.
More than 200 people have been killed in Tehran, according to Iranian leaders, and hundreds more wounded.
Last June, Israel bombed Iran in a surprise attack supported by the U.S. The 12-day war weakened Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Around 40,000 U.S. military members were present in the region during the explosive war.
The current operation, known by U.S. officials as “Epic Fury,” intends to defend the people of the United States from “imminent threats” posed by the Iranian regime, according to Trump.
None of the countries have officially declared war. Canada, Australia, Britain, France and Germany, although not officially joining the war, have offered
The Athens Community Center, Athens, Ohio. (PEARL SPURLOCK | FOR THE POST)
Workforce expands, diversifies in Southeast Ohio
FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER
The closure of Pixelle Specialty Solutions’ paper mill in Chillicothe caused hundreds of people to lose their jobs, severely impacting the local economy. Now, new advanced manufacturing jobs are coming to Southeast Ohio, expected to provide jobs for many, but could pose issues for workers transitioning from previous jobs.
Pixelle’s paper mill closed down Aug. 10, 2025, due to the company’s long-term efforts to strengthen operations in Spring Grove and Fremont, and hold its competitive position within the specialty paper market, according to a press release from Pixelle.
Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service has been conducting a skillshed analysis to look at new manufacturing investments in the region, as well as the transferability of skills from displaced workers to those new employment opportunities.
Laurie McKnight, senior research manager at the Voinovich School, discussed why the analysis was important to conduct after Pixelle’s mill closure, which caused approximately 800 jobs to be lost.
“A lot of the people that were employed at that paper mill, because it was so old, were multi-generational, multi-family people … I mean, even three generations that might have been employed there,” McKnight said. “And how are these families then going to support themselves once they’re all out of work? Immediately. Now, it’s growing
into more of, how do we support the workforce that they’re going to start having in their region?”
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is one of the companies that is establishing a site in the region. The site, known as Arsenal-1, is being built in Pickaway County and will produce the YFQ-44A, an autonomous fighter jet, according to the Anduril website.
While the facility is not scheduled to be fully completed until 2035, 50 people were already hired in 2025. Arsenal-1 is expected to hire about 4,000 employees and be a major employer for the local community.
United Academics/ continued from pg. 1
Dan Pittman, a university spokesperson, said there were productive discussions throughout the academic year.
“Because Ohio Revised Code 4117.21 directs all parties to maintain confidentiality in relation to matters discussed during negotiation meetings, we’re unable to comment on specific proposals,” Pittman wrote in an email. “However, we can share that it remains our hope that we can collectively move this negotiations process forward in a thoughtful and thorough manner.”
Pittman added that “many productive discussions have occurred” since bargaining began in August 2025, including two meetings earlier this month.
UAOU and the university most recently met Feb. 25. A prior session Feb. 11 included proposals and counterproposals from both sides.
“We did get some counterproposals in that meeting,” O’Keefe said. “We got counter proposals on purpose, personnel records, union access to information and facilities and outside work and activities.”
One major focus of negotiations is academic freedom. O’Keefe said the union considers the freedom to teach and conduct research without external pressure central to the role of faculty.
“That scholarly freedom is key to being a researcher who is going to go beyond the current trends or fashions,” O’Keefe said. “But we’ve also seen since the passage of the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act and sort of a broader climate of hostility to academic freedom that we’ve seen in the United States.” Compensation and benefits remain unresolved. UAOU submitted its proposal on that section in November, and O’Keefe said the union has not yet received a response.
The university’s webpage on negotiations said that during the bargaining process, it will maintain the “status quo” related to wages and working conditions for union-represented faculty, as required under Ohio’s collective bargaining law.
UAOU has continued public messaging about its goals, including job security for faculty. In a March 1 Instagram post, the union said, “Faculty dedicate their careers to teaching, mentoring, and research. They deserve job security. A fair contract ensures stability for the people who guide students every day.”
The next negotiation session is scheduled for March 18. Pittman said the university intends to take the time necessary to reach an agreement.
“We owe it to future generations of faculty and students who will be impacted by the result of this first contract negotiation to take the time necessary to get it right,” Pittman said in an email.
O’Keefe said the union’s goals are tied to the long-term direction of the university.
“All of this is really important for the future of the university,” O’Keefe said. “We want a university that really serves its mission in teaching, in outreach to the community. We want to make sure that we remain a top researching institution. Making sure that the universe remains a quality institution is something that we really care about and is very much tied to what we’re trying to do.”
Additionally, a Honda and LG Energy Solution battery plant is coming to Jeffersonville in Fayette County. That plant is expected to provide 2,200 jobs for the area, according to their website.
The Voinovich School’s study also mentions a Picanova Inc. operations hub located in Obetz, Franklin County, that is expected to employ 246 people, and Great Day Improvements, which is expanding in Southwest and Northeast Ohio.
All of the businesses mentioned are set to be within a 30-minute to 1-hour drive from OU’s Chillicothe campus. According to McKnight, that time was chosen because people are typically willing to
travel that distance for work or training.
The Voinovich’s study began in June 2025 and aimed to look at both what jobs will be available with emerging businesses moving to the area, and what skills those positions will require.
Tuyen Pham, assistant research professor at the Voinovich School, commented on why the transition will be difficult.
“So, Anduril and Honda, they need a lot of engineering, right?” Pham said. “The paper mill, most of the people displayed are from manufacturers, so there’s a big gap between how to move from technicians and
manufacturers to engineering.”
Another part of the study was looking into how OU can facilitate the transition to those new jobs. Specifically, the Voinovich school developed a recommendation for OU-Chillicothe to develop programs that could provide training to develop necessary skills.
McKnight discussed what style of program would allow for flexibility with the local populations.
“Our recommendations so far in the report, especially when it comes to workforce, are stackable certifications,” McKnight said. “Short term certifications that can be stacked to create, over time, a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree, rather than a four year 100% in person on demand.”
In the study, courses such as small business bootcamps, digital marketing, financial literacy and E-commerce training are mentioned as ideas. Those would likely be held on weekends or nights to accommodate the working population.
“It’s educating both workforce development professionals and showing them how to present this information to a mass population or a mass layoff, and get people re-employed quicker, and for equal or better wages … because in rural populations, when we have a large mass layoff or closure of any plant, that can be devastating to a town or a community in rural America,” McKnight said.
@FINNSMITH06
Les Wexner’s ties to Epstein cause renewed Ohio outcry
FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER
The Ohio businessman, Leslie Wexner, was previously criticized in 2019 for his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Now, the billionaire founder of L Brands is receiving renewed scrutiny as the Justice Department continues to release the Epstein files.
The Wexner Foundation, a philanthropic organization “seeking to develop Jewish volunteer and professional leaders in North America and public service leaders in Israel,” in 2019.
Wexner has been a household name in Columbus for years.
His company, L Brands, owned notable corporations such as Victoria’s Secret, PINK and Bath & Body Works before they were split into different entities in 2021, according to The Associated Press.
“He was kind of, during his heyday, like a pretty singular influence when it comes to political donors in Ohio,” Andrew Tobias, a reporter at Signal Ohio, said. “Particularly his interests in Columbus and his real estate holdings.”
Wexner is an alumnus of Ohio State University, and donated large sums of money to the school throughout the years.
Wexner and his wife Abigail Wexner ran the L Brands Foundation, which “supports charitable organizations for women, children, and education, gave, raised or pledged a total of almost $200 million to the university, according to a 2011 press release from OSU.”
the precarious situation the university is in. He said it doesn’t want the embarrassment from the connection to Wexner but also doesn’t want to give back the money it already spent.
“We see pressure already from the state nurses association, from a lot of the students here on campus at Ohio State, from the student newspaper at Ohio State,” Beck said. “I think that will continue over time as this plays out, and Wexner is going to be in the public eye for quite a while.”
According to Benjamin Johnson, assistant vice president of media and public relations for OSU, the university has received about 295 requests through its naming review in relation to the Wexners since Feb. 18.
“Ohio State has an established procedure for requests to rename a space or entity,” Johnson wrote in an email. “The University Naming Review Procedure was introduced in 2022 and allows current Ohio State students, faculty and staff, as well as alumni, to submit requests. Each request receives full consideration.”
Wexner’s ties to Epstein have raised concerns beyond his involvement in OSU. For years, he and his wife have been large political donors, giving millions of dollars to politicians and political committees, both in Ohio and nationally, according to the Federal Election Commission.
changed their view on this, including concerns about the 2026 election and whether Republicans might have a political vulnerability in it,” Tobias said. “So you did see a real sea change in how those elected officials who have taken money from Wexner for years, including after his association with Epstein, became known and kind of like a matter of public controversy.”
Since 2019, Wexner has donated to four Democrats and 24 Republicans. Recently, Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted accepted a $3,500 donation from Wexner. Husted faced criticism following that donation, which was received July 3, 2025.
Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, Husted’s opponent in the upcoming Senate race, reacted to the donation in a press release.
“Turns out Jon Husted wasn’t just protecting a pedophile by voting against the release of the Epstein files, he was also shielding his billionaire donor,” Brown said in the press release. “Ohio’s Senator should be standing with victims – not Epstein co-conspirators.”
Wexner was recently deposed by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Feb. 18. During the deposition, Les Wexner vehemently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s wrongdoing, stating they weren’t friends, just friendly.
FS227223@OHIO.EDU KATE_H1105
The university honored his close ties and devotion by naming multiple buildings after him, including the Wexner Medical Center and Wexner Football Complex. Students and faculty at OSU have since called for the removal of Wexner’s name from campus, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Paul Beck, Professor Emeritus at OSU, mentioned
Ohio politicians, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Carey and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, already donated Les Wexner’s donations to varying charities, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
Tobias commented on the development of the issue and why politicians are eager to ease concerns regarding ties to Wexner and Epstein.
“People I talked to say that that’s the thing that
“Some of this is really difficult to remember, because Jeffrey was such a con as I look back at it,” Wexner said in the deposition. “He was much better at being a crook than I am as an honest person, and I think for the committee to understand this, the con part, I can’t imagine a bigger crook account that the world has ever seen.”
Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs located at the Ridges in Athens, Feb. 24, 2026. (TALITHA MALOY | PHOTO EDITOR)
25 Wed _______________________
Trump delivers State of the Union address
Trump delivered the annual State of the Union Tuesday, marking a record for the longest speech at 108 minutes. During the speech, Trump made remarks saying the country is winning so much, according to the AP.
He made comments praising immigration reform, detailing efforts to deport illegal immigrants and pushed for tighter voter identification laws.
The president also championed the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump also took time on multiple occasions to honor veterans and active duty military. He also brought out the U.S. Men’s Hockey team, bringing a rare bipartisan applause, the AP reported.
26 Thur ________________________
FBI fires agents who worked on Trump investigation
The FBI recently terminated several employees who previously helped contribute to an investigation into Trump’s storage of classified documents, the AP reported.
The investigation centered around Trump’s holding of classified documents at his house in Mar-a-Lago. The investigation eventually brought about a federal prosecution charging Trump with retaining classified records and obstructing the government from regaining them.
The mass firings are a part of a broader plan by FBI Director Kash Patel to terminate individuals who are not in alignment with the president and his administration. The FBI Agents Association denounced the decision, saying it puts the nation at higher risk.
27 Fri _________________________
US military strikes down drone with laser
According to the AP, the U.S. military shot down a drone Thursday using a laser. The drone was flying near the U.S.-Mexico border and was seemingly threatening. The drone ended up belonging to Customs and Border Protection.
The event caused the Federal Aviation Administration to shut down airspace around Fort Hancock and close air traffic at El Paso International Airport.
Trump’s administration stood by the laser usage, iterating that the Department of War, the FAA and Customs and Border Patrol are focused on mitigating drone threats from foreign nations near the U.S.-Mexico Border, the AP reported.
1 Sun _________________________
U.S., Israel and Iran engage in mass conflict
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was officially killed during a U.S. and Israeli bombardment. U.S. and Israeli missiles struck Tehran and killed over 200 Iranians thus far, the AP reported.
Iran pledged revenge for the death of Khamenei, and has fired retaliatory missiles at Israel as well as U.S. military bases in the region, according to the AP. Since the conflict began, Trump has called for the Iranian people to overthrow the Islamic Republic and take their country back.
According to the AP, three U.S. service members were killed and five others severely wounded, with more suffering minor injuries and concussions.
Blotter: Drug bust, unwanted visitors, stolen boat
KAITLIN HOGG | NEWS STAFF WRITER
20 Fri ________________________
Done with the gun
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Fourth Street in the Plains to meet with an individual wanting to surrender a firearm.
Deputies met with the individual and took the firearm. Deputies put the firearm into evidence.
The vanishing four-wheelers
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to New Marshfield regarding a report of several vehicles and four-wheelers in the area causing a disturbance, as well as a possible dispute.
Deputies patrolled the area and found no four-wheelers, checking in on a nearby residence that might have been involved. The residents advised they were not involved and did not see who was yelling. Deputies were unable to find the individuals involved.
21 Sat ________________________
Just let me know next time!
Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office spoke to a Chauncey man who reported an individual keeps coming to his house with no notice.
Deputies contacted the person who was showing up unannounced and explained they needed to alert the homeowner before visiting the home.
You better shape up
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Fourth Street in The Plains, due to a report of a verbal dispute.
Deputies arrived and spoke to the parties involved and recommended they separate. Deputies warned individuals with disorderly conduct as well.
22 Sun ________________________
Late night stroll
While Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were patrolling the area late at night in the Village of Chauncey, they noticed a suspicious subject in the Village Park.
Deputies were able to make contact with the individual, who was advised the park closed after dark. No criminal
activity was suspected or observed by deputies on scene.
My she-shed!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Athens area to take a breaking and entering report.
Once deputies arrived at the scene and met with the caller, who let deputies know her shed was broken into. The shed was photographed, and deputies secured the door.
Knock Knock
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Trimble Township responding to a report of a suspicious individual knocking on the side of their home.
Deputies made contact with all parties involved, and the suspect told deputies he was being harassed over text messages and phone calls by the people in the residence. Deputies advised all parties to refrain from contacting one another and asked them to deal with their issues responsibly.
21 Mon ________________________
She’s over it
Athens County deputies responded to Fifth Street in Jacksonville, due to a harassment report.
Deputies spoke with the caller and were told the individual’s ex-boyfriend would not stop contacting her. Deputies then visited the ex-boyfriend, located on Allen Street in Glouster, and told him to stop contacting the caller.
Where’s my boat?
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to North Plains Road in The Plains to speak to a caller about their stolen boat.
Deputies spoke to the caller, and a report was filed. An investigation is currently underway.
24 Tue ________________________
Laundry day on hold
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Meadowbrook Road in Albany, due to a report of a washer and dryer being vandalized.
Chamber of Commerce/ continued from pg 1
Patterson defended the projects, saying they create a better impression on visitors of Athens, and the roundabouts make the city more ecofriendly.
“In my opinion, and hopefully a lot of yours, we need to continue to uplift our gateways into the city of Athens because you only get one first impression,” Patterson said.
A few city officials, including Patterson, mentioned the measure to increase income taxes, which is on the ballot in May. Patterson encouraged voters to approve this measure, saying it allows the city to continue making improvements and provide services to the community.
Patterson then introduced Chris Chmiel, an Athens County Commissioner. Chmiel also emphasized the importance of the upcoming elections, noting his fellow commissioner, Lenny Eliason, is retiring and an election will be held to fill his place.
In 2026, Chmield said they hope to expand sewer districts in the county, specifically focusing on New Marshfield.
Chmield was followed by Courtney
Lefebvre, associate director at the Center for Community Impact at Ohio University. Lefebvre discussed the university’s enrollment statistics, noting a 3.6% increase in total enrollment for 2025.
Lefebvre said the university was really excited about the increase in student retention rates. She said last year, the university had a record 84.7% first-year retention rate, the highest in 20 years, and they couldn’t have accomplished that without support from the Athens community.
“Students choosing to stay and finish what they started here doesn’t happen because of a single program,” Lefebvre said. “It happens because students feel connected to a place through internships, mentorships, part-time jobs, volunteer work and the everyday interaction they have in the community.”
Then, the audience heard from Mollie Fitzgerald, executive director of the Athens County Economic Development Council, who said they helped secure Athens County businesses with grants, loans and tax incentives in 2025, including multiple JobsOhio small business grants.
Fitzgerald highlighted the Hocking
Deputies arrived at the apartment building where the washer and dryer were located and made a report with the caller.
25 Wed ________________________
Runaway dog
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Rhine Street in Nelsonville due to a report of a man and woman yelling from a residence, with a possible dispute taking place.
Deputies were able to speak to both parties involved and were told their dog got loose momentarily and that no violence or threats took place. Deputies resumed their patrol.
You can’t fool me
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies talked to a person on Lexington Avenue in Chauncey, who told police she was being scammed. The woman told deputies she believed she was being scammed by a person claiming to be with Medicare. Deputies took a report, and an investigation is taking place.
26 Thur ________________________
No, that’s my cat!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Monserat Ridge Road in Millfield due to a call about a neighbor stealing a woman’s cat. After deputies fully reviewed and investigated the situation, they determined it was a civil matter.
A long journey ahead
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office arrived at The Life Point Pentecostal Church in Athens to speak to a man planning to walk to Cincinnati. The man told deputies he missed his bus and was determined to walk to Cincinnati from Athens. Deputies gave him a courtesy ride and returned to patrol.
Hills Garment Center, which received one of these grants and plans to expand its “Made in America” garment operations and add jobs in 2026.
Fitzgerald also said another focus for the Economic Development Council this year is improving housing in Athens County.
“There’s been a lot of conversation about what [our] role in housing should be, and I definitely think there’s a role for us,” Fitzgerald said. “How are we supposed to attract companies here if we can’t house our employees?”
The last presenter, Athens Fire Department Chief Robert Rymer, expressed his gratitude for the new fire station, which opened on Stimson Avenue in 2025, but also his concern for its understaffing.
Rymer said the Athens firefighterto-population ratio is half the national average, and he hopes to address this issue in 2026.
Miller concluded the event by promising the AACC would hold another address in 2027 and requesting feedback to improve next time.
And the reference goes to
This week, Michael and Sophia, along with special guest Nyla Gilbert, dive into the Oscars, talking about big names on even bigger screens.
Scan the QR code to listen to the full podcast.
Surfaced UI fraternity footage is a loud indication of hazing reality
THE POST EDITORIAL BOARD FOR THE POST
Alpha Delta Phi, a fraternity at the University of Iowa, was suspended until 2029 after an alleged hazing incident. Body camera footage released by the campus shows an alleged hazing incident from November 2024. The footage, which recently surfaced online and went viral on social media, reveals 56 male pledges blindfolded in the fraternity house basement.
According to KCCI, first responders were called due to a fire alarm and found pledges shirtless and covered in ketchup, mustard and alcohol. On Feb. 25, 2025, the Office of Student Accountability investigated the incident, resulting in the fraternity’s suspension until July 1, 2029.
The footage from this encounter is deeply concerning. This should make viewers question what was happening in the basement before first responders arrived, and the lengths other members of Alpha Delta Phi were willing to go to to initiate the 56 pledges.
Police-worn body camera footage shows a first-person perspective of the scene in the basement.
The officer goes on to question the men in the room, “Does anyone want to be forthcoming on what’s going on? Anyone? Because you’ve got to see it from my perspective of, ‘What the f— did I just walk into?’”
Ohio University defines hazing as, “Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental, emotional or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any student organization or group regardless of the person’s consent to participate.”
Most universities in the U.S. participate in Greek life. It’s known as a system where fraternities and sororities exist socially on or near its college campus. The University of New Mexico reports there are over 750,000 undergraduate members in 12,000 chapters on more than 800 campuses in the U.S. and Canada.
Hazing might come as a result of the initiation process for students who pledge to be in either a fraternity or a sorority. Decadeold traditions can easily become a neglectful use of power over initiates.
A consequence of this type of
forced action on another person is death or serious injury.
Collin’s Law, Ohio Senate Bill 126, is Ohio’s Anti-Hazing Act, named after Collin Wiant, an 18-year-old student who died in Athens during a hazing ritual in 2018.
Signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in 2021, the law increased the penalty of hazing to a 2nd degree misdemeanor, sometimes a 3rd degree in cases of serious injury. The first hazing-related death reportedly happened in 1838. An epidemic of this magnitude existed on college and university campuses and can look very similar to that of the IU fraternity footage; in fact, it does.
According to the Hazing Prevention Network, the most common hazing behaviors among all types of student groups consist of alcohol consumption, isolation, sleep deprivation and sex acts.
It also reported 55% of college students involved in fraternities, sororities teams and other student organizations experienced hazing and “only 1 in 10 labeled it hazing.”
Being a bystander to hazing means witnessing dangerous, humiliating or illegal initiation activities. According to the Hazing Prevention Network, 71% of students witnessed hazing and indicated alcohol was involved in some way.
Therefore, as students attending university, there is an obligation we must uphold to report cases of hazing. Students who were involved in the UI incident might still carry trauma or guilt from the alleged hazing they underwent.
While the body camera footage might have surfaced online and has been met with humor, hazing is a deadly, forced action that can change a student and their family’s lives forever.
If you or someone you know is concerned about hazing, you can report it by calling the Anti-Hazing Hotline: (888) 668-4293 or (888) NOTHAZE. The line accepts anonymous hazing reports from anyone.
The Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage. Have thoughts? The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens. com.
Ohio University’s Hazing Prevention and Defenition
Hazing Prevention
Ohio University’s core values of character, community, citizenship, civility and commitment define who we are as a University community. We will continue to emphasize our core values as we serve our students, and we will do everything we can to keep our students safe.
We are here to help our students learn and grow so that they become responsible community members and leaders. We will never waver in that
Our obligation is to the safety and security of our students, We are committed to working with our student organizations to help ensure that they are engaging in behavior and practice that are in alignment with Univers ty policies and core values.
Hazing includes, but is not limited to:
- Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any student organization or group regardless of the person's consent to participate.
- Brutality of a physical nature including but not limited to paddling, whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, or exposure to the elements.
- Coerced consumption, including but not limited to any food, alcoholic beverage, liquid, drug, or any other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm.
- Acts intended to cause mental stress, including but not limited to sleep deprivation, transportation or abandonment, confinement to a small space, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in embarrassment, any forced activity that is designed to shame or humiliate, or any action of harassment (as defined in the "Student Code of Conduct").
- Coerced activities, including but not limited to violation of local, state, or federal laws, violation of university policies, rules, or regulations, and personal servitude.
- Acts of sexual misconduct, relationship
or
Sassy Cassie | Pay WNBA players more or risk the season
CASSIE DYE MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
The WNBA was established in 1996, and when it first began, it had eight teams. Now, the league is going to expand to a total of 18 teams. This doesn’t come as a shock as the push toward more women’s sports leagues rises, not to mention the uptick in viewership and attention the league has received recently. In 2025, viewership for the WNBA was up 23%, and ticket sales were up 26%. Although the league is booming with talent and sales, it’s failing its players.
All the success the league has seen in recent years can come to a halt if the league continues to refuse to pay its players what they deserve.
In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball
Players Association reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement: players’ salaries increased and player experiences were enhanced. The deal was supposed to last until 2027, but in 2024, the board of the players’ association and executives opted out of the CBA.
The opt-out has forced negotiation to start between both the union and league before the 2026 season starts.
In the 2025 season, during the WNBA All-Star games, players came out wearing “Pay Us What You Owe Us” T-shirts, a direct comment on the current CBA and what players are paid.
The league minimum in the WNBA is $66,079 with a salary cap of $1,507,100. The NBA league minimum is $1,272,870. A rookie in the
NBA, who barely touches the court, can be making more than WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, whose WNBA contract is $114,000. Out of her estimated 2025 earnings of $16.1 million, only 0.7% of it comes from the WNBA.
The WNBA’s 30th season is scheduled to start on May 8, with the draft on April 13. However, without a new CBA in place, players could go on strike. Players already agreed to go on strike if a new contract isn’t reached soon. Of course, nobody wants to go on strike and delay the season; players want to play the game.
Delaying a season could also risk the success they have had over the past few years. However, the players deserve a better contract and should 100% go on strike if the contract proposed isn’t
up to standard. The league is growing, and looking at league revenue and players’ pay, it’s unequal compared to the NBA.
NBA players make 49%-51% of the league’s revenue, while the WNBA players make 9.3% of the league’s revenue. The money comes from ticket sales, broadcast TV deals and merchandise. While yes, the WNBA is not as widely watched as the NBA, its growth means players should be making more. The WNBA isn’t at a point where it could pay its top athletes numbers like the NBA does, but a lot of its athletes aren’t getting paid enough to live.
For years, WNBA players would have to play basketball overseas in the offseason to make more money. Now, with a new 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled, players can
stay in the states and play. However, these professional athletes shouldn’t have to play more in the offseason to afford to live. They shouldn’t have to look at overseas opportunities or other leagues to function during the offseason.
Women’s sports in general are growing across the country, and the WNBA is leading the charge. That could all change if the WNBA doesn’t reach a fair contract to pay its players what they deserve, and soon, they may risk losing viewership due to a strike.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
Blabby Abby | USA Men’s Hockey team deserves the hate
ABBY JENKINS FOR THE POST
Role models shouldn’t be worshipped or idolized, but that’s not to say people can’t look up to them. When you have a little sister with hockey jerseys lining her room, including one of her favorite players, Jack Hughes, you can’t help but be excited to watch the Team USA versus Team Canada gold medal match in the 2026 Winter Olympics. When the final goal roared in overtime, securing the USA’s 2-1 victory against Canada, she was on top of the world.
The same day, the men’s team decided to crush my excitement, as well as that of many others. This includes my sister, one of the team’s most devoted fans.
The team got on a phone call with President Donald Trump after receiving an immediate invite to the State of the Union Address and laughed along as the president said he should invite the women’s team to celebrate because “if they weren’t invited, I would probably be impeached.”
This isn’t OK now, or ever. It’s crushing to little boys who had a hero on the ice, now laughing at the idea of celebrating the
same feat with their female counterparts. It’s repulsive to girls who have heard these jokes time and time again. It’s insulting to my younger sister, who admires multiple professional players in the league, as athletes and as people.
This behavior is the effect of normalizing “locker room talk” or “distasteful jokes,” and it’s unacceptable for the president of the U.S. to begrudgingly invite the women’s hockey team to avoid impeachment.
When a joke is tolerated on the bench, it carries over into the world. The tolerance in an enclosed space only prolongs its tolerance outside of it. It doesn’t require effort to stand against an administration that has, time and time again, ignored constitutionality.
Accepting Trump’s invite is a huge slap in the face. It associates the team with someone who has degraded women and disrespected them. It requires very little self-control not to laugh at a joke at women’s expense coming from a convicted sex offender.
The outrage shouldn’t stop at the men’s team’s invitation or even a surprise appearance from FBI Director Kash Patel.
Patel spent nearly $75,000 taxpayer dollars on a jet to go to the Olympic village in Italy to party with the team in the locker room. It’s a slap in the face to anyone who has income, which includes both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
It shouldn’t stop at the responsibilities Patel is currently in charge of, such as his involvement in the release of the Epstein files, which, after his joyride, it was confirmed pages had been withheld from the public.
The most insulting part of all this was the lack of celebration the USA Women’s team received after taking the same gold medal back to the U.S. The women’s team had scheduling conflicts and were given no accommodations for what would be an honorable celebration. They didn’t hear any wind of an invite at all until the video in the men’s locker room circulated.
Their decline of the late invite felt like a statement, unlike the men’s team, who puckered up immediately.
With a Cleveland Heights native, Laila Edwards, and even an Athens native, Gwyneth Phillips, making up key members of the women’s team, this one hits close to home and should be for
every student on campus. This is a peer. A colleague. She didn’t receive a personal phone call or congratulations from the president after the win. She didn’t receive an invitation to the State of the Union Address until after the men got theirs.
It goes beyond the games themselves. This misogyny is not only rooted in our country, but in the disparities in treatment between the women’s and men’s teams. The USA Women’s Hockey team flies commercial, while the men get privileged treatment and travel is taken care of. The men’s team has established personnel and even has a doctor who travels with them. The women’s team receives none of this treatment, and the only medical resource available is their physician. The women’s team isn’t just responsible for their own baggage check and flight plan, but also for finding the right help in case of emergency or injury.
When you are on the world stage, you are setting an example to young fans or players who have a dream of making it there. Having a role model fumble every good thing leading up to it’s all too common, but this could have been so easily
The Pest | Brutus took a punch, OSU students take
THE PEST STAFF WRITER FOR THE POST
There is a longstanding, obscure rivalry between Ohio University and The Ohio State University. Although the colleges reside in a different football conference, the rivalry runs deep and has only grown over the last two years, as the Bobcats have lost in both matchups.
This is why many OU students don’t blame Rufus for the time he beat up Brutus during a 2010 football matchup.
Even as a less sportsfocused student, I agree with our mascot Rufus’ hatred for OSU; however, the reason for my disdain is completely different. It runs much deeper than sports and concerns the university’s recent actions.
According to NBC4,764 OSU students were displaced and forced to scramble to find housing after Taylor Hall flooded overnight during the 2026 spring semester movein weekend. The university did offer each student
compensation; however, according to frustrated students who took to online platforms, such as Reddit, it wasn’t enough.
“$400 and ‘good luck’ basically,” Reddit user larry_corn wrote about the situation.
Personally, if a similar incident occurred at OU and our administration thought this was the right path of action, I would feel this same way. No one, especially broke college students, deserve to be treated this way. Instead, they should be helped. OSU can take care of its students, but chooses to instead funnel its finances back to its football program.
OSU earned $336 million and put about $320.4 million back into itself during the 2025 fiscal year, according to its website. In comparison, OU’s athletic budget during the 2024 fiscal year was $22.1 million and netted about $3.9 million, according to the university’s 2023-2024 planning budget sheet, The surprising thing is that none of the factors above is the reason why I despise the
college. My hatred comes from OSU’s handling of Leslie Wexner being named as a co-conspirator in the Epstein files.
Les Wexner is the founder and CEO of Limited Brands Foundation, which was founded in Columbus in 1963, and is chair of The New Albany Company, a real-estate company he created 35 years ago. He has a network of $10.8 billion, according to Bloomberg, and has donated $100 million to OSU. Currently, Wexner’s name is on three on-campus buildings.
With all of the recent uproar from Wexner being in the Epstein FIles, OSU’s President Ted Carter sat down with WOSU, the campus’s broadcast studio, and answered some questions about the university’s view on Wexner. During the interview, he said there is no reason not to take Wexner’s name in the files 1,000 times at face value and not believe in his denials.
If Wexner, or anyone, is this close to a criminal like Jeffrey Epstein, I have a hard
prevented. This could have been an incredible joint celebration and a time to unite in a country that is so divided. Save the jokes. As Women’s Team USA player Hilary Knight said, we’ve heard them enough.
“I just thought the joke was distasteful and unfortunate,” Knight said. “I think the way women are represented, it’s a great teaching point to really shine light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats. Now I have to sort of sit in front of you…and explain someone else’s behavior. It’s not my responsibility.”
Abby Jenkins is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Abby about her column? Email her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
Abby Jenkins is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Abby about her column? Email her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
the hit
time believing he hasn’t even heard a rumor about his activities.
Even if Wexner is telling the truth, it’s almost impossible to deny that he has a hand in helping create this tragedy. OSU having ties and maintaining a relationship with a man named in the Epstein files continues to drag its name through the mud.
Never do I or any sane, reasonable person want to associate with anyone or a place that has pedophilic ties, and I believe many others feel the same way. I also see a future where this may lead to a decline in enrollment for OSU and even current students transferring. No one wants a name on their diploma that ties back to pedophilia and cowardness, and I don’t blame them.
Rivalries are supposed to be about pride, tradition and bragging rights, but this goes beyond the scoreboard. OSU focuses way too much on its Big Ten status in football and not on bolstering the infrastructure that needs
repairs. My reasons for disliking the university may not be for the same reasons Rufus does, but to me, the reason why we should hate OSU matters most.
My frustration is rooted in what I believe college should represent: responsibility, transparency and genuine care for the people who invest their futures into higher education.
Next time we face the Buckeyes, I will chant a little louder. Not just because of football, but because I believe a university’s legacy should be built on more than trophies and television deals. It should be built on character.
Until that changes, my disdain will run deeper than any rivalry could.
The Pest is an anonymous column for writers to air their grievances about Ohio University, Athens and society at large. Want to share your thoughts? Email the Editor in Chief at editor@ thepostathens.com.
Student orgs/
continued from pg 1
A meeting was held following the post, and another meeting was held Thursday. Among the attendees were the BSU, the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, Students for Justice in Palestine, the Ohio Student Association, President Lori Gonzalez, Dean Kathy Fahl, Vice President of Student Affairs Lyn Redington and Chief of Staff Carly Leatherwood.
Bailey Smith, a senior studying retail and fashion merchandising and president of the BSU, felt the effects of SB1 as well as other challenges regarding running her student organization. She expressed funding as one of her biggest concerns.
“A major concern is money and funding, especially for the Multicultural Expo … that’s my number one thing right now,” Smith said. “It isn’t just (for) Black students, it’s (for) people of all cultures, of all backgrounds. People don’t really understand, which is why it seems to go against SB1 regulation.”
The Multicultural Exposition lost nearly $6,000 in funding it used to receive from OU administration, according to a previous report by The Post. It now relies on out-of-pocket funding from BSU executive board members and community donations.
During the meeting, regulations around SB1 were discussed. Fahl said the administration learned heritage celebrations were permitted under state law, using the recent Martin Luther King Day brunch as an example.
BSCPB President Kylie Bridgeman asked what the difference was between heritage celebrations and the Multicultural Exposition.
“I believe it’s these are nationally recognized events, is what they are,” Fahl said. “They’re historic.”
Attendees also asked if changing the name of the exposition would make it permissible. Gonzalez said the exposition could occur, but the university cannot pay for its programming.
“What the law says is you cannot just change the name of something and still do the same thing,” Gonzalez said. “What you’re talking about is having an expo where it’s organizations that would be targeting one set of students and somebody else targeting another. If we have these things that are open to all, and we aren’t paying for the programming, then all of that can happen.”
Bridgeman, a senior studying journalism, said some of her concerns included the president’s visibility.
“Like Bailey said, that’s the first time that she’s seen her face,” Bridgeman said. “I’ve seen it a lot, and I think that comes from being in a tier one organization, but it shouldn’t take that
to have access to your university’s president.”
Visibility was a hot topic during this meeting. Teresa Warren, secretary of the OSA, said the president’s State of the University address was held at a time when students were busy with classes and did not have time to attend.
Gonzalez said she is hosting office hours soon. The idea of a student town hall was also discussed.
Henry Turner, a junior studying history and creative writing, represented Students for Justice in Palestine. Other than funding, Turner expressed concerns around staffing and the layoffs that occurred following SB1.
“SB1 laid off a lot of employees that were extremely valuable, had resources and skills that could help people of different diverse backgrounds and represented diversity within faculty,” Turner said. “The university understands how difficult it is to bring in diverse faculty when something like SB1 is state law, but it is really important … I believe the university made a major mistake in their hiring practices, and they need to take steps to address it.”
During the meeting, Bridgeman brought up that OU staff and administration do not adequately reflect the students. She requested there be a more concentrated effort on diverse staffing because prior staff members who were let go created comfortable environments for the students they served. She also made it a point to extend her definition of diversity outside of race and culture.
“Diversity is not just in skin color and appearance, but also in life experience,” Bridgeman said.
The loss of centers like the Multicultural Center, Pride Center and Women’s Center deeply impacted students. Many students found solace
in those centers in times of adversity.
Another representative for the OSA during the meeting brought up hearing slurs on Court Street. Her solace was once the Pride Center, but now she doesn’t feel comfortable receiving aid anywhere else.
The meeting touched on a number of relevant topics to the student body and student organizations, and all the administrative leaders took notes.
“We all took notes,” Gonzalez said. “We will get action steps from those, and it will be: ‘Here’s one answer, we can share one answer, here’s another answer.’ So we’ll try to see how we can come up with some ways to bust some of the barriers that you all brought up.”
For the most part, attendees felt positive after the meeting and shared thoughts afterwards.
“I hope that she takes these meetings and our asks,” Bridgeman said. “I’m excited to see how the office hours go, and I hope that that’s something that continues throughout her tenure.”
Smith felt positive about potential change, even if it happens after her graduation.
“I am confident something’s going to happen,” Smith said. “Might not happen while I’m here, but just as long as it happens for other people, I’m okay.”
Turner also felt the meeting went well and valued the administration’s listening to student perspectives.
“I think it was a constructive meeting, and I think it’s very valuable to have the president and other major university administrative decision makers listening to students in that environment and responding to those students’ concerns and those needs,” Turner said.
@DAWNE.JPG DB948724@OHIO.EDU
Bobcats ask for more options, accommodations in dining halls
The dining halls at Ohio University are often packed with students as they study, enjoy a conversation with others or drop in for a bite to eat. Many students have dietary restrictions and require accommodations or special meal plans.
Receiving proper nutrients is essential for college students, as food is fuel for the brain and body.
Over 20 million Americans have a food allergy, and it’s common to develop an allergy in one’s adult life, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Students can visit the OU culinary services website for full menus of campus dining halls, food trucks and cafés. Each menu provides additional information on nutrition facts and labels, which foods are safe for those with the top-nine allergens and options for those who are vegan or vegetarian.
Camy Klein, a freshman studying media arts production, is OU’s student ambassador of dietary accommodations, a position made for her by dietitian Kari Saunders. Klein started the position in October and uses it to help students advocate for meal accommodations.
Klein has celiac disease and was diagnosed at 6 years old. She said living with this throughout her life taught her how to speak up for herself, and she wanted to help other students who require accommodations or special meal plans.
When the first semester began, Klein said Saunders reached out to her to offer the role of student ambassador of dietary accommodations, which she accepted to support Bobcats. Saunders said she is currently transitioning out of her role as OU’s culinary dietitian, meaning Klein is leaving her role too, but she hopes to see the future dietitian continue.
“The role has taken shape rather organically, and Camy lends a lot of talent and insight,” Saunders said via email.
Klein said she often helped Saunders with a variety of tasks, and said she thinks she brought a different perspective to the table.
“One of my assignments that I did was looking at Jeff Market, and we took intel on all of the foods and snacks and all the groceries there and looked at what type of foods, allergy-wise, were lacking,” Klein said. “After we took inventory, I searched our food provider, and tried to find groceries that fit for … people with allergies, whether that be dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free.”
Students with allergies or special accommodations can also request a separate portion of food, or ask dining hall employees to change their gloves, clean their tools and clean the area they are making food on, according to the OU food allergens and dietary accommodations guide.
The guide also highlights the risk of eating fried foods or regular bakery items for those with allergies, as the fryer comes in contact with the top-nine allergens, and all bakery items are produced in a facility with tree nuts, peanuts and other allergens.
“For anyone who has an allergy, they meet with our dietitian to talk about a game
The Post
plan of where to eat, what to eat,” Klein said. “There’s the OHIO Eats app that is something that everyone can use. But if you have an allergy, there are ways for you to order food at the dining halls. So that’s something I frequently do.”
Margaret’s Made For You is a micro-restaurant at The District on West Green, free from all top-nine allergens and available to students with dietary restrictions. Surrounding Margret’s is the gluten-free area to avoid cross-contamination and exposure to gluten-free students and those with celiac disease.
Klein said it is common for students to feel shy about advocating for themselves, and they can be afraid to ask questions, but it is important for them to reach out to the school dietitian to form a plan best suited for them.
Ellie Johnson, a freshman studying forensic chemistry, is a vegetarian and said she would like to see tofu and vegetarian meats on the menu more often, as she comes to the dining halls and sometimes cannot find anything she wants.
Johnson said OU has about 20 different options for meat, but when she cannot find tofu or any vegetarian protein, it cuts down on options for her. She finds it especially hard to find breakfast for herself.
“Sometimes they don’t have anything,” Johnson said. “I don’t want eggs sometimes. They just have sausages and sausage patties, bacon stuff for the burritos. Every time they make those, there’s always meat in them. So I can’t have anything.”
Johnson said she’s never been to Margaret’s because she is “scared” to utilize the station, although she looked at the menu previously and said they only had a couple of options. When she cannot find anything to eat, she resorts to mac and cheese and “unhealthy garbage.”
Addison Mondoux, a sophomore studying nursing, is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame. Mondoux said she mostly watches what she eats and frequents The District on West Green because it is completely nut-free.
“I think (OU does) enough,” Moundoux said. “Having one nut-free dining hall is enough for me; I just don’t get the ice cream at Nelson because they use the same scoop. My allergy isn’t as severe, though, as some other people’s.”
Naomi Klaserner, a sophomore studying civil engineering, said she needs to eat more protein, but she feels like the dining halls mostly offer chicken. She said she would like to see more beef on the menu, especially in the sauces for pasta.
“The food options here are kind of the same all the time,” Klaserner said. “You go to the dining hall that fits what you’re feeling. But mostly every day, it’s about the same thing.”
For those who have questions about dietary restrictions or meal accommodations, email culinarydietitian@ohio.edu.
CJ Morgan and Molly Sowash are co-owners of MoSo Farm. Together, they raise swine and cattle only about 15 minutes southwest of Athens.
The farm began in 2020 after Sowash bought eight calves. Six months later, Sowash met Morgan and the two married in 2023.
“For the first year or two, Molly was the main farmer,” Morgan said. “I was living an hour south of here, working for the Wayne National Forest. In 2022, I moved up here, and (we) started farming more, Molly and I together. In the spring of 2024, I quit my job at the Wayne National Forest and started farming full-time.”
In the beginning, MoSo sold half- and whole-freezer beef. Over the years, more people became interested in buying smaller, individual cuts of meat, so the couple branched out and got the proper health department licenses.
As the team expanded its products, Morgan and Sowash also developed relationships in Athens.
“We started going to the Farmers Market our first year in 2024 and that really got a name out there and got people to know us,” Morgan said.
Beyond the individual customer market, MoSo also started to work with restaurants. MoSo is the primary pork supplier for Little Fish Brewing Co. and the primary ground pork supplier for Casa Nueva.
Jon Slater, the marketing coordinator at Casa Nueva, said developing a relationship with MoSo and receiving the pork was a smooth process.
“They are very communicative,” Slater said.
“They’re a shining example of a local producer, and they’re genuinely excited to work
with us … For the last couple of years, having a solid local pork supply has been difficult. (MoSo) came onto the scene and had really reasonable price points and clearly care about what they do, so it was an easy decision to start sourcing our pork through them.”
According to the MoSo website, prices vary depending on the type of meat and package size. A 1-pound tube of ground beef costs $9.75, with a quarter beef deposit costing $100, six to seven strips of Canadian bacon costing $7.50 and a package of four chicken drumsticks costing $6.50.
MoSo also supplies Casa Nueva’s pork shoulders and pork butts, which are used in some seasonal dishes and weekly specials. Slater said part of Casa Nueva’s mission is to stay local, since it benefits both the restaurant and Athens by investing in the area’s economy.
MoSo also sees value in supporting local businesses. When the farm purchases various supplies, such as hay and animal feed, it buys from places in Southeast Ohio.
“We’re here because the community supports us,” Morgan said. “Everybody at the farmers market and people who choose to eat at local restaurants make our livelihood possible. So we try to give back … What we spend goes back into the local economy.”
Ed Brown, the agriculture and natural resource educator with Ohio State University Extension for Athens, said farms impact local economies more than many people realize.
OSU Extension is part of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, offering 4-H youth development programs in agriculture and other areas, according to OSU.
“In the whole southeast region of Ohio, it’s several million
Baker University Center, located on 1 Park Place, is hosting Paint, Plant, Grow. There are pots, paint supplies and succulents supplied for decorating. The event begins at 1 p.m. in the atrium on the third floor.
Admission: Free Jefferson Hall, 101 E. Union St., is hosting a Paint ’n Sip event for students. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., enjoy painting, sparkling apple juice and lemonade.
Admission: Free
Wednesday, Mar. 4
From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Baker Center and the Office of Health Promotion are hosting a Safe Spring Break Mocktail event. There are free mocktails and tips to have a safe spring break in the third-floor atrium.
Admission: Free Ohio University Culinary Services and Dining is hosting Spring Break Out in Nelson Court, 10 N. McKinley Ave., at 5 p.m. There are games, menu specials and desserts.
Admission: Meal swipe or payment equivalent
dollars when you add in all the secondary supplies and equipment and inputs that they’re getting from our region,” Brown said.
In February 2025, the Ohio Department of Agriculture reported food and agriculture was Ohio’s number one industry. Overall, the agricultural business added $124 billion every year to the state’s economy.
Despite this, many farmers are not drawn to the industry based on a salary.
Morgan was exposed to the world of farming as he was growing up in Randolph, Ohio. He picked vegetables, baled hay and did other sorts of farm work as early as eighth grade.
“I was in 4-H growing up, so I took pigs to the Portage County Fair, showed pigs there,” Morgan said. “That was really instrumental in my learning about agriculture and being involved in agriculture a lot. So I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I was surrounded by them, and (it) always was close to
my heart, something I was interested in doing.”
Sowash’s interest in farming stemmed from her care for the environment.
“One of her favorite sayings is, ‘It’s not the cow, it’s the how,’” Morgan said. “It’s how cattle are raised and managed. Management intensive grazing, rotating cattle (and) letting pastures rest is what builds soil health.”
MoSo focuses on practicing sustainable farming. Morgan and Sowash are using a freechoice, cafeteria-style mineral program, with 20 minerals available for cattle to choose to consume from; this helps replenish nutrients the farm’s soil is lacking. The cattle are able to supplement themselves, and eventually the soil, based on what minerals the plants are not providing.
“There’s way different plants in August than there are in April,” Morgan said. “The cattle can select for what they need depending on different times of the year … It’s pretty interesting
We Are Fighting Over Who
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker: “State of the State” address. 18 February 2026 (Excerpt)
The bravest thing any of us will ever do in this life is to love without promise of reciprocation. Because love’s ferocity does not dim with rejection. Try to banish love to a shadow and it will only reach harder for the sun.
I know, right now, there are a lot of people out there who love their country and feel like their country is not loving them back. I know that.
Thursday, Mar. 5
Marti & Stewie Craft Night is held in the West 82 Food Court in Baker Center at 7:30 p.m. All supplies are provided. Arrive by 9 p.m. to ensure enough time to complete projects.
Admission: Ohio student ID
Friday, Mar. 6
Fridays Live, OU’s live sketch comedy show, is airing its third episode of the semester. The show is streamed on YouTube and begins at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 7
Women’s basketball faces Miami University in the Convocation Center, located at 95 Richland Ave., at 6 p.m.
Admission: $3-12
Sunday, Mar. 8
The Dairy Barn, 8000 Dairy Lane, is hosting Wizard Walk from 5-7 p.m. The event celebrates Athens and features musical performances.
Admission: Free
I also know that love unrequited can break a heart made fragile by dashed hope.
the cattle’s innate ability to select for exactly what they need. That’s been a great way for us to improve our soil and keep our animals healthy at the same time.”
Using sustainable practices contributes to more than the ecosystem and the animals.
“There’s a really kind of a domino effect there, where when you take care of the soil everything else falls into place,” Morgan said. “It also makes our business viable economically. Healthy soils require less inputs for fertilizer … Having healthy soils allows our land to be productive on its own.”
As Morgan and Sowash continue to expand MoSo, care for their animals and practice sustainability, Athens and the ecosystem can continue seeing the benefits of the relationship.
“Seeing diversity flourish on the landscape, seeing happy animals and happy customers, that’s what makes it all worth it,” Morgan said. “It’s great to be able to manage this little chunk of land here.”
Which is why it’s important for me to stand before you today and tell you that your country is loving you back — just not in the way you are used to hearing.
It’s not speaking in anthems or flags or ostentatious displays of patriotism. It will never come from the people who say the only way to love America is to hate Americans.
Love is found in every act of courage — large and small — taken to preserve the country we once knew. You will find it in homes and schools and churches and art. It is there; it has not been squashed.
Over the last 12 months, I’ve heard love start to shout here in Illinois. I heard it from the bicyclers who showed up in Little Village every day during Operation Midway Blitz to buy out tamale carts so the vendors could return to the safety of their homes. I heard it from the parishioners who formed human chains around churches so that immigrants could worship.
I heard it from the moms in the school pick up line who whipped out their cameras and their whistles. I saw it in the face of every Midwesterner who put on their heaviest coat and protested outside on the coldest day.
I am begging my fellow politicians, my fellow Illinoisans, my fellow Americans to realize that right now in this country we are not fighting over policy or political party. We are fighting over whether we are going to be a civilization rooted in empathy and kindness — or one rooted in cruelty and rage.
What you choose to arm yourself with in this fight — love or hate — exposes which side you are fighting on. Only the weakest of people believe that love is the weakest of weapons. And it turns out that love actually is all around — and that those who think that cruelty can destroy it, are incapable of understanding the power of a nation moved by it.
I love my country. I refuse to stop. The hope I have found in a very difficult year is that love is the light that gets you through a long night.
Thank you. God bless you.
READ IT HERE https://jbpritzker.substack.com/p/i-love-illinois-i-love-america-i
For nearly 40 years, Crumbs Bakery kneaded its way into the fabric of Athens by supplying local favorites like Donkey Coffee, Seaman’s Cardinal Super Market and Kindred Market with breads, cookies, crackers and more.
All products are made from scratch out of the ACEnet facility on Columbus Road. Donkey sells Crumbs cookies and rolls for $3.95 a piece, with Kindred’s 8 oz bags of Crumbs rye and salted spelt crackers costing $6.79, and 21 oz sourdough rye costing $7.89.
Jeremy Bowman, manager and legal treasurer of Crumbs, started with the business in 1996, marking 2026 as his 30th year with the company.
Bowman described what kept Crumbs alive by borrowing a line from an old colleague.
“One of the old bakers I worked with had an analogy that it was more like a ‘stubborn mule,’” Bowman said. “Just pure stubbornness. But I think the quality of the product, the fact that it’s handmade … people have just always supported that. We’re trying to make
products with a clean label. We’re not just trying to sell sugar.”
Crumbs was founded in the late 1970s before workers formed a corporation and bought the business in 1986, making it one of Athens’ longeststanding worker-owned cooperatives, a model shared by neighbors like Casa Nueva.
Bowman sources ingredients with the same intention.
Crumbs works directly with Frankferd Farms Foods in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, for organic whole wheat, rye flour, cornmeal and rolled grains, and with Dutch Valley Food Distributors in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, for additional bakery supplies.
Locally, Crumbs collaborates with Shagbark Seed & Mill for spelt and corn flours used in its flatbread crackers.
“We source what we can organic,” Bowman said. “We’re not labeled organic, but we try to keep it as clean as possible. Pretty much everything’s going to be from scratch with basic ingredients like flour and honey.”
Among the bakery’s most beloved
Aly & AJ sit down to discuss upcoming tour, new projects
SOPHIA ANNESS ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR
Pop musical duo Aly & AJ have released music since 2005. The two also have an extensive acting portfolio.
The duo, made up of sisters Alyson “Aly” Michalka and Amanda Joy “AJ” Michalka, will perform at Templeton Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on April 9 as part of their “Places to Run” Tour. Tickets for the performance range from $25 to $45.
Performing songs from their most recent album, “Silver Deliverer,” released May 2, 2025, as well as songs off their other albums, Aly & AJ will take the stage at venues across the United States to showcase their talent for fans. Before the first show of their 2026 tour, Aly & AJ sat down with The Post to discuss their upcoming “Places to Run” Tour, Silver Deliverer and upcoming projects.
TP: As your tour starts this weekend, what can fans expect from your upcoming “Places to Run” Tour that feels different from your previous tours?
Aly Michalka: We’re hitting places that we have not been to in a (long time), and then there are places that we’ve never even been to. We’ve never played Wyoming, we’ve never played Portland, Maine. There are spots that we’re excited to enjoy as a city, altogether. I’m sure there are fans who are really thrilled that we’re coming into their town. I think that’s the best part of this tour.
AJ Michalka: And, funny enough, we actually have a really strong memory with Athens, Ohio. We were there for a college show a couple of years ago, and we had the best Mediterranean food. It’s still on my list, and I want to go back. It’s definitely in Athens, and it’s called Souvlaki’s … It was family-run, and it was really cool how authentic the restaurant was.
TP: OU students are really excited for this upcoming tour. So what made you decide to perform at OU?
AJ Michalka: Allie and I are still in this zone in life where we want to be doing college shows. It’s really fun for us, the energy of college students. We never went to college. I think there’s this fun excitement when we’re with our band, and we’re playing for students. There’s always just a high energy to the show.
Provided by The Oriel Co.
So when we get asked to play college shows, we always say, “Yes.” It’s an area that is fun for us and different than our typical shows … We’ll have played six weeks of shows by then. So I feel really good about it. I love playing a college show, and I think it’s our only one this year.
Aly Michalka: It is.
TP: Your album “Silver Deliverer” was very successful. Are there any songs off the album that you’re especially eager to play live?
AJ Michalka: There are so many from this record that I love live. I think this record translates live really beautifully. My top three are “Lasso,” “Places to Run” and “Next to Nothing.” Those are three songs that I just love in this live space. But honestly, the whole album is so fun to play live, and it’s interwoven between old music in a really interesting way. I think the audience members have been really surprised that we’ve been able to play the entire span of our career in a two-hour show. So, there is a lot of really great material between old and new, but this record hits really hard live.
Aly Michalka: I agree. The whole album is really exciting. But for me, I think my favorite song to play every night is “Places to Run,” which is fitting since the tour is called that. It closes out our show on this really high note, and it feels so, so thrilling. I think we all just had such a fun moment on that song, specifically as a band.
TP: What does it mean for you both to come together again on this tour, performing music and doing what you love?
Aly Michalka: Yeah, being able to share the bus together, the stage, all the hotel rooms, especially before AJ is off on her “White Lotus” adventure, it’ll mean a lot to us. I think it’ll feel really bittersweet to be ending this run of shows and then starting up again … This is a place where we feel our most natural self and at home. So, it’s really like second nature to be out on the road.
AJ Michalka: Oh, for sure. And it’s also sweet. Allie and I don’t live together anymore, but we’re two hours away from each other, in terms of where we live, which isn’t down the street. So to have this moment where we’re roommates on the road, it’s actually very sweet and very natural for us. And who gets to do that with their sisters? It’s really cool.
products, Bowman said he is particularly proud of a newer sourdough process he developed during COVID-19, a cold-fermented method that can take nearly a week from start to finish.
“Something that I’m basically starting on a Friday isn’t going to come out of the oven until Wednesday,” Bowman said. “But all that extra time gives the bread a more natural process of rising. It’s just flour, water and salt, it develops those sugars through that time allotment.”
Crumb’s dedication to craft does not go unnoticed by Athens shoppers. Belle Lormeau, a junior studying integrated health sciences, said she picks up Crumbs bread at Kindred Market almost every weekend.
“It just makes you feel better,” Lormeau said. “It’s a lot more fresh, and you can definitely taste the fact that it’s not processed. The ingredients are so much better, it’s just an all around better bread experience.”
For Lormeau, places like Kindred and the local producers they carry represent something bigger than just grocery shopping.
“We’ve kind of lost the sense of trust and knowing what’s in our food,” Lormeau said. “So many bigger corporations have such sneaky ways of advertising things to make you feel like
DREW HOFFMASTER FOR THE POST
Gorillaz fans have been able to embark on a spiritual adventure through their ninth studio album, “The Mountain.”
The album includes 15 tracks, 24 artists and collaborators and a fully animated, 8-minute short film.
The Gorillaz are a virtual band created by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett back in 1998. 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs are the four fictional members of the band, and their universe has been built up through music videos, interviews, comic strips and cartoon shorts.
According to a “Q with Tom Power” interview with Albarn and Hewlett, the album was inspired by their experiences on their visits to India and their fathers’ deaths, who died ten days apart. The new album takes on themes related to the celebration of life and exploring the journey between life and death.
“It’s a mountain, and there are a lot of kinds of deities inspired by time spent in India and the frequency within Hinduism of encounters with deities for every sort of human condition,” Albarn said during the interview with Q with Tom Power. “We’ve added gods of our own, based on our imagination, and (the Gorillaz) have quite a lot to say on the record.”
Before the band even teased the album, it held a one-night “mystery show” in London’s Copper Box Arena on Sep. 3, 2025. According to an article from NME, fans were not allowed to bring their phones inside, 10 of the songs were performed and the album was announced.
“The soundscape of this album is like nothing I’ve ever heard from this band; it’s absolutely breathtaking,” wrote chaosctrl, a user on X, after seeing the show. “There is a track that had me sobbing 10 seconds in. Almost perfect album. Gorillaz really outdid themselves with this one.”
A large number of the collaborators on this album are from India or of Indian descent. Some notable names include international flautist Ajay Prasanna, musicians Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, singer Anoushka Shankar, playback singer Asha Bhosle and singer-songwriter Asha Puthli.
During an interview with the Associated Press, Hewlett said they figured out how to collaborate and execute the conversations within their songs by hanging out with the artists.
“We’ve always sort of seen the collaboration as a true journey into someone’s individual life and law, we embrace that within the song,” Albarn said. “So, they’re all different.”
This strong cultural influence can be felt when listening to the opening track “The Mountain,” which is almost fully instrumental until Albarn starts repeating the song and album cover. Throughout it, a conglomeration of sounds from a bansuri, a sitar, guitars and percussion instruments come together to create a transcendent feeling.
you’re eating healthier than you are. It’s just good to have small local businesses that have better intentions and just want to provide healthy food for the community.”
Being woven into the local food economy is something Bowman said he does not take for granted.
“I’m grateful that I get to wake up in the morning and believe in the product that I’m serving,” Bowman said. “It just makes me love Athens. I’m thankful that people were willing to support us.”
Looking ahead, Bowman has his sights set on relaunching the bakery’s website, re-establishing a presence at the Athens Farmers Market, where Crumbs sold for roughly 25 years before stepping back during COVID-19 and rebuilding wholesale relationships. At the heart of it, Bowman’s pitch for Crumbs is simple: in a world of ultraprocessed food, the bakery is providing something different.
“There’s so much food out there that is ultra-processed,” Bowman said. “Making food from scratch, in small batches, handmade, you can see and taste the quality difference.”
@AARONNDICK
AD937421@OHIO.EDU
This song is also the first song featured in the cartoon short created for the album. Throughout the song, a younger version of Noodle explores an Indian-inspired landscape, but after swimming into a lake grows up to her adult self. At the end, the rest of the band shows up and begins to take their trek up a mountain.
Hewlett told AP the cartoon was intentionally made to resemble the style of the 1960s because of the rise of artificial intelligence.
“With the rise of AI art and AI this and AI that, I find it all a bit sickening really, and I’ve already had enough of it,” Hewlett said. “It was necessary to show how wonderful something can look when it’s made by people, and that’s what we attempted to do. Hopefully, it will be liked.”
The next song in the cartoon and album, “The Moon Cave,” tackles themes of emotional vulnerability and fear of abandonment with more chill, hip-hop beats.
In the video, the band is depicted exploring different parts of the previous land. Some notable events include 2-D trying to buy snake oil, Murdoc Niccals seducing a snake and Noodle riding Russel Hobbs as a raft.
During the middle of the album, the songs take on themes of disillusionment and destabilisation through tracks like “The Happy Dictator,” “The God of Lying,” “Delirum” and “Damascus.” The melody of these tracks embodies the themes they are about.
“The Hardest Thing” and “Orange County” are designed to tackle the grief both creators have been feeling and flow into each other. The first song crafts the feeling of experiencing a tough moment in one’s life through trumpets, while the latter takes on a more upbeat sound. Both songs share similar lyrics.
The album also features a multitude of languages – English, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish and Yoruba – in the songs “The Manifesto,” “Damascus” and “The Shadowy Light.”
In addition, some of the songs in the second half take a slower, sentimental beat. “The Empty Dream Machine,” “The Plastic Guru,” “Casa Blanca” and “The Sweet Prince” tackle themes like feeling trapped, one’s mind being at war and tension.
The album’s final song and the cartoon, “The Sad God,” act as a peaceful, melancholic end. The song is about how the beauty of humanity was twisted into spiritual emptiness. The cartoon also reflects this theme by having the band’s members plunge themselves into a completely black lake during the song.
Gorillaz have conquered the album’s ambitious and unique undertaking, showing fans a culturally rich meditation on life, death and humanity.
Rating: 7/10
A torn ACL couldn’t stop Monica Williams Basketball Edition 2026
LONDON DEMARCO FOR THE POST
Redshirt sophomore guard Monica Williams’ career has been characterized by versatility and resilience, with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Early into Williams’ senior year of high school, despite offers from many other schools, she decided to commit to Ohio due to its coaching staff.
Williams attended Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. She found herself in the national spotlight at Lawrence North as she was named to the Prospects Nation Elite 150 list her senior year.
This came after she led her team to their first-ever state championship win
as a captain in just her sophomore year.
“It felt really good coming onto a strong team as a freshman, and living up to that role,” Williams said about her early high school success.
During her senior year, she earned an All-USA Central Indiana Super Team Honorable Mention while leading her team in assists and averaging nine points per game.
It’s no secret that Williams had a strong and memorable high school career, but college basketball is a different level than high school.
continued, pg. 3
Ohio seniors Ajay Sheldon, Aidan Hadaway motivated by loyalty
OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The landscape of college athletics has changed, especially since the NCAA implemented Next in Line in 2021. This change has made it harder for mid-major basketball programs to retain top talent because of the additional incentives available in the transfer portal.
Loyalty has increasingly disappeared in sports, and programs are starting to feel the repercussions as players decommit and leave behind the opportunity for a grab and more money for less opportunity, not staying with one program for their entire collegiate careers.
“I feel like loyalty is a trait, you either have it, or you don’t,” senior guard Ajay Sheldon said. “When you come out, everybody’s like, ‘I’m committed to play.’ When you go somewhere, it’s like, I’m committed. Now, you might as well just say ‘I’m going to play here.’ I felt like that meant something. It’s like, I’m committed to this. They’re paying for my school. I’m committed to you guys for the next four years.”
continued, pg. 5
Family ties brought Elli and Abby Garnett together at Ohio
CARLY KUNKLER FOR THE POST
Ohio graduate student forward Elli Garnett has bounced around different programs before coming to the Bobcats. She spent two seasons at Northern Colorado and one season at Eastern Florida State, Winthrop, Nicholls State and now is in her final season at Ohio.
Coincidentally, her older sister, Abby Garnett, happens to be an assistant coach for the Bobcats.
Abby Garnett played for the Bobcats from 2018 to 2023. During her time, the team made it to three Women’s National
On March 24, 2025, Javan Simmons announced he would be entering the transfer portal. At the time, Simmons had just finished his redshirt sophomore season at Toledo after losing in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament to Akron.
The former MAC Freshman of the Year with Toledo then announced that he would be transferring in-conference to Ohio just two weeks later, on April 7.
The move was shocking at the time, especially considering that his Rockets had beaten Ohio in an overtime thriller that saw Simmons put up a doubledouble with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Simmons was not a huge fan of Ohio and its players, especially after battling with them for two years.
“I didn’t like Ohio, Ohio didn’t like me,” Simmons said. “I made it my absolute point to be disrespectful when I played them.”
The disdain for Ohio from Simmons at the time is understandable, as Toledo and Ohio have been two of the best basketball programs in the MAC the last few years. The dislike goes back further, as Ohio chose some other players out of high school the same year Simmons was coming out of Columbus-area Gahanna Lincoln.
Invitation Tournaments. She came back as an assistant coach in September 2024. “I’ve always had a goal to follow in her footsteps,” Elli Garnett said. “Coming here, being her little sister, people knowing me from her, it’s awesome.”
Having an older sister as a coach has been great for both sides of the sister relationship. Feeling comfortable enough with a coach to be able to express emotions and tribulations can make it easier to feel connected with the team.
CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR
Provided by Elli and Abby Garnett
Ohio Bobcats forward and redshirt junior Javan Simmons (1) poses for a portrait in The Convo in Athens, Feb. 24, 2026. (ETHAN HERX
FOR THE POST)
Bobcats never recovered from poor start
OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
The tip-off of Saturday afternoon’s action for Ohio kicked off one of its poorest halves of the season, and the 41-28 halftime deficit did not paint the whole picture. As a group, the Bobcats started out missing their first 5 shot attempts, allowing Toledo to jump out to a 9-0 advantage.
“I thought our start wasn’t ideal,” Ohio head coach Jeff Boals said. “We missed a lot of easy baskets, pointblank at the rim. I thought we let our offense affect our defense. In that stretch, we looked lethargic.”
The Rockets played a very physical brand of basketball throughout the first-half, and it really seemed to disrupt Ohio’s offense, specifically the ball-handling and leadership of senior guard Jackson Paveletzke. Paveletzke consistently drew contact, but the referees were letting the players go at it hard in this one, something that takes away from Paveletzke’s game.
“He puts so much pressure on them when he’s down there, and that’s a big part of our offense, and if it’s not called that way, advantage defense,” Boals said on the lack of fouls called in the first-half Saturday.
Ohio tried to find another outlet to score the ball and turned to redshirt junior forward Javan Simmons. Boals and his staff called players to get the former Rocket going early, but the jitters seemed to get to him as he hoped to deliver for his team on senior night.
“I knew I played badly in the first half,” Simmons said of his thoughts at halftime.
Ohio made a small run but was quickly shut down by Toledo, which would go on a 20-5 run over the next 6 minutes of game time. This run started an unfortunate trend for the Bobcats on the afternoon, which was allowing the Rockets to crash the offensive boards and get extra possessions.
Toledo finished with 14 offensive rebounds on the day, a critical part of how the Bobcats fell behind in this one. The win gave the Rockets their 11th straight
over Ohio, and it is certainly apparent that they show up to play against the Bobcats, out-hustling them and frustrating Ohio throughout this winning streak.
“They average 8 offensive rebounds a game,” senior forward Aidan Hadaway said. “They don’t really do that, but as I said earlier, they see they’re playing against the Bobcats, and they play out of their mind every single time. This has happened every time I have played against them.”
Ohio trailed by as many as 20 in the period, struggling to get looks to fall. Toledo, on the other hand, got the ball in the hands of their guards Sonny Wilson and Leroy Blyden Jr, who exploded for 43 points on the afternoon, 16 of which came in the firsthalf to set the tone of the game, including a step back buzzer beater from Blyden Jr. to end the first-half and suck the air out of the Convo crowd.
“Blyden, I mean, he’s the best freshman in the league,” Boals said. “I’d be shocked if he’s back next year. That kid’s gonna make a lot of money somewhere, hopefully he is, for the league’s sake and Tod (Kowalczyk’s) sake, because that kid’s the real deal … Sonny Wilson’s been in the league three years now, and just controls the whole tempo and the flow. And those two guys were really, really good.”
The Bobcats finished the half shooting 30% from the field to Toledo’s 56%. This difference proved costly for Ohio, which never recovered, falling Saturday afternoon to its projected Mid-American Conference Tournament opponent. There will certainly be some adjustments if Ohio were to square off with the Rockets again in two weeks.
“We’ll watch the tape, Boals said. “There are some things we’ll tweak … when you give up 23 (second-chance) points to a team that really does not offensive rebound, it’s just a matter of finishing the play.”
OL415422@OHIO.EDU
Ohio unable to shake Toledo, loses on senior day
CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR
The Convo was packed on Saturday for a mid-day game with a ton of buzz surrounding it as Ohio Men’s Basketball (1514 overall, 9-7 Mid-American Conference) welcomed Toledo to Athens for a game with a bunch of MAC Tournament implications.
The two teams sat close in the standings coming into the game, and the Ohio loss still keeps them close with Toledo regarding seeding in Cleveland. On top of that, it was senior day in Athens, with the pregame ceremonies adding to the big-game feeling.
All of the senior day activities and buzz around the game did not mean much when it came to the start of play, as Toledo got out to a 9-0 lead after the first three minutes of play. Ohio couldn’t find the bottom of the net until senior guard Ajay Sheldon drilled a 3-pointer for the first Ohio points.
“I thought our start wasn’t ideal,” Ohio head coach Jeff Boals said. “Obviously, missed a lot of easy baskets, pointblank to the rim. I thought we let our offense affect our defense in that stretch.”
Sheldon stayed hot, making Ohio’s second shot of the game, another 3-pointer, this time in front of the Toledo bench.
The Ohio drought continued, but former Rocket Javan Simmons found redshirt freshman forward Kiir Kuany for a huge dunk that got The Convo crowd back into it.
Toledo kept scoring, as Sonny Wilson and Sean Craig scored, while their former teammate Simmons struggled, starting the game 0-7 from the floor.
Simmons finally got his first shot to fall with an and-one layup on the low block. After that shot, he hit his next two, and Ohio finally started to gain some momentum as senior forward Aidan Hadaway made a 3-pointer and hyped up the student section.
The 7-0 run was capped by the triple from Hadaway, which wouldn’t stretch over into the final two minutes of the half; however, Toledo’s Leroy Blyden Jr. isolated Hadaway and made a tough mid-range jumper at the buzzer to end the half with the Rockets ahead 41-28.
Ohio did not repeat the same start to the second half; however, as Hadaway converted a layup, he found freshman forward JJ Kelly in the corner for a 3-pointer.
The Rockets kept answering,
denying the Bobcats a needed run. The Bobcats kept chipping away at the lead, with another 3-pointer from Kelly and a turnaround hook from Hadaway making it a six-point Toledo lead.
“(We) started making a run, started getting the crowd into it,” Hadaway said. “I mean, I feel like that’s when we’re at our best. The five we had out there when we made that run. That was the five that should’ve been out there the whole game.”
The energy from Ohio was up by about nine notches in the second half, with Simmons being the generator for much of the juice. He was clearly playing with a little something more against his former team, and in the second half, he came alive.
“I knew I had played badly in the first half, and I didn’t want to let my brothers down,” Simmons said. “I kind of just got it going, (my teammates) told me they believed in me at halftime.”
He was aggressive on the low block, getting layups to fall and hawking rebounds.
On the defensive end, he swatted an Austin Parks layup before taking it
himself all the way for a tough layup.
He came back down the court and tied up Parks for a jump ball, and then proceeded to walk over to the Toledo bench to jaw with the coaches and players of the Rockets.
His energy kept working, as Ohio kept chipping away at the lead with the trio of Simmons, Kelly and Hadaway.
Senior guard Jackson Paveletzke was another player who was cold in the first half, but started to find his groove with a couple of layups that were created with his off-ball movement and cuts.
The energy burst started to wear off as the Rockets kept coming back, and Blyden led
the way with some tough layups.
Simmons just would not be denied, as he rattled off two more and-one layups that he would convert at the line. Down the stretch, Ohio was unable to capitalize on the stops it was getting as Toledo kept grabbing offensive rebounds. The Rockets finished with 14 offensive boards.
“To give up 14 offensive rebounds, that’s not what they do,” Boals said on Toledo’s offensive rebounding. “When you battle back like that, every possession is gonna matter, and obviously we didn’t make enough plays to win.”
Those offensive rebounds turned into second-chance points, which killed the Bobcats late. Toledo made one final run with free throws to seal the win.
These two teams could very well meet again in the MAC Tournament, and time will
Guard, JJ Kelly (4) passes the ball to forward, Aidan Hadaway (10) during the Bobcats game against Toledo, Feb. 28, 2026. The Bobcats lost to Toledo 79-67
(John Fouss | For The Post)
Guard, Jackson Paveletzke (13) during the Bobcats game against Toledo, Feb. 28, 2026. The Bobcats lost to Toledo 79-67
(John Fouss | For The Post)
Monica Williams/ continued from pg 1
Even with the increase in difficulty, in Williams’ freshman year at Ohio, she picked up right where she left off, starting and playing a big role in her first year.
“It’s definitely a way faster pace of play,” Williams said about the differences between college basketball and high school. “College is a lot bigger on discipline as well.”
As a freshman, Williams started in all 30 of Ohio’s regular-season games, and she ended the season fifth in scoring with an average of 8.2 per game.
On top of all that, she led her team to the Mid-American Conference tournament after it finished dead last in the MAC the year prior with a 6-23 record.
“the grueling recovery process.
After such a promising season, Ohio struggled heavily last year without Williams, as she watched from the bench as her team fell to 6-23.
“It was definitely frustrating,” Monica said. “I just had to sit there hopelessly. Cheering on the bench with my team and trying to stay positive is the best I could do.”
Williams went into the off-season motivated by her team’s struggles and not being able to help. She knew they had a strong team going into the next season, and knowing how much better she could be helped fuel her training and recovery.
I just realized I wouldn’t play for the rest of the season, and was just wondering how I was going to move forward from here
- Monica Williams
Despite the Bobcats losing to Ball State in the first round, Williams and Ohio had a lot of hope going into the next season.
Williams started her sophomore year strong, averaging 7.5 points per game, including 18 points against Wright State. She also put up 5.7 rebounds per game and 10 total steals through the first six games.
Then, tragedy struck. Early in the third quarter against Ohio Christian, the Bobcats were up big when Williams was going up for a rebound after senior Kate Dennis missed a three-pointer.
Williams got the rebound and then fell to the ground after feeling her knee bend in.
“I couldn’t cry because I was in shock,” Williams said. “I was just trying to process what happened. I tried to stray away from the thought of it being a serious injury, but when they brought up a torn ACL, I knew there was a strong chance of that.”
Monica was then taken to the hospital for an MRI that confirmed the original thought, as her injury was diagnosed as a torn ACL.
“I just realized I wouldn’t play for the rest of the season, and was just wondering how I was going to move forward from here,” Williams said.
Williams then had surgery on her knee to repair her torn ACL, and she began
Assistant coach Kyle Barlow has found family in Athens
OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Ohio offensive assistant coach Kyle
Barlow is in his seventh season with the program. His path to Ohio brought him under the tutelage of some exemplary coaches, and these skills have helped him become the mind behind the everchanging Bobcat attack.
Barlow, who grew up in Howell, Michigan, spent most of his time around the game of basketball, but also played other sports. These activities that helped grow his love of sports would never have been possible without the support and love from his parents, who pushed him to pursue coaching after seeing his love of the game.
“They were the ones there,” Barlow said of his mom Sharon and dad Steve. “Dad played basketball in college and coached in high school, but Mom was always there, taking all of us to everything … and now, having little kids and being a parent, I know how big a commitment that is. It does not go unsaid that my love for sports really started with them, because they gave us the opportunity.”
Her inner circle of friends and team managers helped her a lot through the process, supporting her emotionally.
“Everyone was just checking on me and making sure I was OK,” Williams said. “The managers helped a lot, too, by rebounding for me while I was practicing my sitting shots.”
Before her injury, she was a bona fide starter, averaging over 30 minutes a game. This season, as she comes back to 100%, she has been a bench player with fewer opportunities. This drop in playing time for the first time in her career has led to a mix of emotions for Williams.
“I feel frustrated at times,” Williams said. “The mistakes I make, just because I can’t explode a certain way, or just being in my head too much. I’m still trusting the process a lot. Obviously, it’s my first season back, so it’s not going to be perfect.”
Williams is now 100% recovered from her ACL injury, but is still cautiously progressing to where she was before the injury.
“It’s about taking it slow,” Williams said. “I get banged up after games and am really sore the next day. So I’m just taking my time and working through it all.”
Having Williams back has been huge for the Bobcats, as her return to the court has helped them vastly improve this season as they look to challenge for a MAC title in March.
Barlow began his basketball coaching career at his alma mater, Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as an assistant before moving on to be a graduate assistant at the University of Michigan under Hall of Fame head coach John Beilein, where he learned about the offensive preparation he does now.
“Being at Michigan with coach Beilein, who was an offensive-minded coach (helped me learn),” Barlow said. “I got my grad degree there, but I always joke like my grad degree was in basketball, it wasn’t in sport management, because I sat in the meeting room every day and we had something similar to this (whiteboard), and I’d see coach Beilein line draw up plays, and the other assistants drawn up plays, and that was my real education.”
His early jobs really helped him grow as a coach, and his offensive mindset is something that has stuck with him since working under Beilein, but was truly capitalized on for the first time at his next stop under head coach Tod Kowalczyk at Toledo.
“When I went down to Toledo, the head coach there, who I worked for and still is the head coach, Tod (Kowalczyk), really identified that Beilein had left an impression offensively, so he molded me into that on their staff, and I have been kind of doing that ever since,” Barlow said.
In the spring of 2019, Barlow jumped at an opportunity to coach at Ohio. He and his wife packed their bags and made the move three hours south. He has called Athens home for several years, backed by the initial support that has lasted from his family and from Ohio head coach Jeff Boals.
“Coming here was an opportunity that I thought would help me grow my career,” Barlow said. “Being somewhere for five years or longer is really rare in this
profession, but I think that’s a testament to coach Boals and the culture that he’s built, not only with our team, but with our staff, and it really is a family atmosphere down here.”
Barlow has settled into his role. His main job is to break down the opposing defense, exploit it through play-calling and the use of effective lineups to gain any advantage he can for his players. Even though it changes every year and what roster is brought in, Barlow has learned to trust his instincts and let the players’ tendencies dictate some of the outcomes behind his coaching decisions.
“In the summer, after we get done recruiting and after our roster is set, I really study the tendencies of our players and what their strengths and weaknesses are to build an offense based on coach Boals’ identity of the offense that he’s brought here and likes to run, and then enhance the strengths of our players within that framework,” Barlow said.
Barlow works with players throughout the week, as well as before games. He works with them on film, physical skills on the court and also works on the mental toll that basketball can have on these athletes.
“I think ultimately that’s coaching,” Barlow said. “That’s a reward you get when you struggle at something one of your players does. You help them realize their potential. You rep it, you talk to them, you watch film, you do all that stuff, and to see them have success after doing all those things is one of the most rewarding things you can have.”
Barlow’s responsibilities pick up once the game begins. He helps keep the team organized with play-calling and gives offensive advice to Boals. The communication is such a key piece between the coaching staff, but it would never be possible without the chemistry that has built over seven years together between himself, Boals and assistant coach Lamar Thornton.
“So when I was at Toledo, he was a graduate assistant for a year, and then when coach Boals got the Stony Brook job, he went to Stony Brook to be an assistant,” Barlow said on his connection to Boals and Thornton. “I had that prior standing relationship with him, and that was a big reason why I’m here.”
Barlow says that his job only gets easier in Athens, and he goes right back to the culture developed by Boals that has brought this staff together and has helped them gel throughout their time here together.
“This is probably one of the closer-knit staffs that I’ve ever been on,” Barlow said. “I think that’s a huge testament to coach Boals. Every head coach in the country will say, like our team and our staff is one big family, right? Everybody says that, but (Boals) actually lives it, and he doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk.”
Guard Monica Williams (13) during the Bobcats game against UIC, Dec. 5, 2025. The Bobcats beat UIC 72-70 in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS| FOR THE POST)
Ohio University’s men’s basketball Assistant Coach, Kyle Barlow, poses for a portrait on the basketball court in The Convo, Athens, Feb. 26, 2026. (TALITHA MALOY | PHOTO EDITOR)
Inflation and Gas Prices: The Claim
Good News, Everyone! According to President Trump, Gasoline now costs below $2.30 in most states!
NOTE: Trump is wildly mistaken!
“The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country. [False] But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years. And in the last three months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%. Gasoline, which reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states under my predecessor and was, quite honestly, a disaster, is now below $2.30 a gallon in most states, and in some places $1.99 a gallon. And when I visited the great state of Iowa just a few weeks ago, I even saw $1.85 a gallon for gasoline, the lowest in four years, and falling fast.”
Source: President Donald Trump, State of the Union address, Feb. 24, 2026, as transcribed by The Associated Press.
Undeniably Abby
Miami needs to lose this MAC season
ABBY WAECHTER DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS STRATEGY
My dad nearly has a stroke every time he watches a Miami University RedHawks men’s basketball game. And trust me, I’m not being dramatic. This is a man who becomes physically unwell when the RedHawks’ lead drops below 10 points. He paces, yells and performs what can only be described as an interpretive stress dance in our living room. It’s quite the spectacle.
To be fair, he comes by it honestly. He graduated from Miami in 2001 and was roommates with Rich Allendorf, who was on the 1999 Sweet Sixteen team led by Wally Szczerbiak.
If you ever met someone who thinks their alma mater peaked athletically the year they were in college, you can imagine the energy. To this day, my dad treats every Miami game like it’s March Madness and he’s somehow both the coach and the sixth man off the bench.
This season has only made him more unbearable. According to CBS Sports’ coverage of its “nail-biter” against Western Michigan, Miami escaped with a 69-67 win I’m pretty sure shaved years off my father’s life.
Meanwhile, the official schedule on the Miami athletics site reads like a curated museum exhibit titled, “Teams we’ve beaten, sometimes dramatically, sometimes by accident.” With its record sitting at 29-0, it is just two games away from a perfect season, something my dad mentions approximately 12 times a day.
But here’s where things get fun: Ohio University has the chance to end it. To shatter it, to forever stain Miami’s undefeated dream with one beautifully inconvenient loss.
The rivalry between Ohio and Miami is not subtle, nor is it polite or quiet. It’s a decades-long tug-of-war over bragging rights, pride and which school’s fans are more insufferable, and this year, the Bobcats have the tools to do it. Their stats show an offense that’s finally starting to look dangerous.
Miami enters its last game of the season against Ohio, probably undefeated, the cameras lingering
on it like it’s the inevitable heroes of the season. My dad will be planted in the audience, already stressed before the tip even happens. Hopefully, Ohio walks onto the court with the one job rivals have perfected over generations, stepping in at the exact right moment and ruining everything Miami has going for it.
There’s something profoundly satisfying about the idea. Not because Miami doesn’t deserve success, but because no perfect season should survive a rivalry game in the MidAmerican Conference. That’s not how college basketball works; something always goes wrong. A bad shooting night, a hostile crowd, one player who decides it’s his moment. If anyone can deliver that plot twist, it’s Ohio.
The funniest part is knowing exactly how my dad will react if it happens. He’ll sit in The Convo, stunned into betrayed silence, staring at the court like the scoreboard personally wronged him. He’ll pull out his phone and check the numbers even though they aren’t going to magically reverse themselves. He’ll mutter something about “terrible officiating” or “just an off night.” And even though I won’t be there in person, my brother and I, who are proud OU students, will make absolutely sure he never lives it down.
So please, for the sake of every Bobcat who has ever had to sit through a Miami fan talking about “tradition” or “culture” or the 1999 Sweet Sixteen run like it happened yesterday, and for the sake of my own sanity, I am begging the Ohio men’s basketball team to pull this off.
End the perfect season and make my dad’s three-hour drive back from Athens just a little quieter. Do it for the rivalry, do it for the MAC and do it for all of us who know that nothing, absolutely nothing, tastes sweeter than Miami losing to Ohio.
Abby Waechter is a senior studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Have something to say?
Email Abby at aw087421@ohio. edu.
The opinion section of The Post publishes columns, editorials, letters from the editor, weekly horoscopes and letters to the editor. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please email editor@thepostathens.com. The Post retains editorial discretion over submitted content.
OHIO
UMASS
MIAMI MIAMI
DAVID BRUCE PAID FOR THIS
Sheldon, Hadaway/continued from pg 1
“The Bobcats utilize the portal to remain competitive, but the big advantage they have found is in homegrown talent, more specifically in two fouryear seniors, Sheldon from Dublin, Ohio, and forward Aidan Hadaway from LaFayette, Georgia. These two are the building blocks of what makes Ohio go, and that all starts with the continuity within this program all four years.
them. I like the school, Ohio University is a great place to be. I couldn’t see myself anywhere else.”
At some point the ball’s going to stop bouncing, and it can change just like that.
- Ajay Sheldon
These two have lived and breathed Ohio basketball for the past four years, but their journey with the Bobcats started as sophomores in high school, which was the first time both players visited the campus and stepped inside the arena they have called home since.
“I love the guys, the coaches, I’m very close with all of them,” Hadaway said. “I trust all of
“The town reminded me of my small town in Georgia,” Hadaway said on why he chose
Ohio. “I liked the coaches, there was a big family feel I could see within the team. They were really close, and my high school team was very close.”
The close-knit group for Ohio has been part of the culture instilled by head coach Jeff Boals throughout these seniors’ careers. Sheldon and Hadaway have grown together through the program and are now living together, which has continued to build their chemistry on the court.
These men are both current starters for Ohio as they wrap up their senior season, but the road to getting these roles and making an impact for the Bobcats has not always been smooth. Hadaway has dealt with a couple of injuries, but the biggest was a long-term injury that took him off the floor a majority of last year, something he reflected on heading into the 2025-26 season.
“It really just puts things into perspective,” Hadaway said. “You are not always going to be able to play the game that you love. So, just cherish it and take it day by day and find joy in it every single day, because at some point the ball’s going to stop bouncing, and it can change just like that.”
Sheldon had a different path to his starting role with the Bobcats. He has logged 123 games played for Ohio while biding his time off the bench. He learned from upperclassmen before stepping into a leadership role this season, and was a key part of the team’s success behind his years of hard work.
“I think one of the best parts about it is when I graduate, I’ll know that everything I got I earned,” Sheldon said. “You work for everything you get, and I think you see a difference in mentality and maturity when somebody comes in, and I feel
“like those who work for what they have cherish it more. I feel like if something’s given, they might not value it as much.”
Another big aspect for Ohio players is playing in The Convo. Athens brings out a great crowd to support the Bobcats, whether that be students, alumni or residents. These fans bring the noise behind Ohio, which is a pivotal part of the team’s success at home that does not go unnoticed by the players on the court.
I trust all of them. I like the school, Ohio University is a great place to be. I couldn’t see myself anywhere else.
- Aidan Hadaway
“I would say that playing in front of an atmosphere like that with your brothers is an unmatched feeling,” Sheldon said. “It’s so fun to be out there. We’re all friends, it’s not like we’re just all five random people. Being out there with your boys and playing in front of a home crowd, it’s a great feeling.”
OL415422@OHIO.EDU
Bailey Tabeling and Asiah Baxter: emerging leaders
BRANDON GROSS
SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Leadership is a key component in sports. In a field where you have players with little experience meshing with those who have played for years, there are bound to be a few players who step up to the plate and take on a mentor role.
For the Bobcats, those players are junior guards Bailey Tabeling and Asiah Baxter. They both started as freshmen at Ohio, but now, in their junior years, have been able to showcase their talents on a bigger stage.
For Tabeling, Ohio was one of the few schools she got an offer from, with the other being Murray State. This somewhat narrowed it down, but she fell in love with the school when she visited.
“When I came to Ohio, it was just a really beautiful campus, and that was something that I enjoyed because I knew I was going to be walking around a lot,” Tabeling said. “Meeting the coaches and players really just helped me feel more at home.”
came time
to choose a college to play basketball for, Baxter wanted to be able to focus on both athletics and academics, something many schools didn’t offer.
“When it came to choosing college, it was just the idea of who would really let me pursue my academics along with athletics, and coach Bob (Boldon) and the staff were really big on academics first, then athletics,” Baxter said. “I was a nursing major coming in, and many schools didn’t want that or tried to push me to be something different.”
With both players coming in as freshmen to this Bobcats program in the 2023-2024 season, their playing time and roles on the team differed. Ohio made the MAC tournament that year, with the upperclassmen leaders getting more playing time.
“My main role was just the shooting guard,” Tabeling said.
“That’s at least what I was planning going into it, but we had some injuries, and I had to take over the point guard position
Peyton Guice. Peyton being a senior when I was a freshman, I went to her for any advice or questions.”
Baxter’s path was a bit different than Tabeling’s, as while Tabeling got playing time at the guard position, averaging 8.7 points a game, Baxter didn’t see the court much. She played only 73 minutes for the entire season with an average of 6.1 minutes per game.
“As a freshman, I didn’t play much, so that role was really just trying to build up and be ready for the next season,” Baxter said. “I was very big on encouraging my teammates and being that energy person … I’m still doing that role to this day, but it’s definitely changed over the years.”
Baxter’s time did come in her sophomore year, as she jumped to playing 20 minutes per game, along with having a stat increase across the board.
“I didn’t start off starting in sophomore year, but I did end up playing, which was really big for me,” Baxter said. “Just playing the role that I knew how to play, being aggressive, boxing out, getting rebounds, that’s always been me … sophomore year was kind of easy for me to catch on and keep doing what I needed
Despite both Tabeling and
Baxter having their roles increased in their sophomore seasons, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The team was 6-23 overall with a 4-14 record in the Mid-American Conference.
After a tournament bid in the previous season, Ohio had fallen to the second-worst team in the MAC. With the team being as bad as it was, there were concerns about players leaving. Tabeling made it clear she wasn’t leaving.
“I found my people outside of basketball, and for me, I’m here to get my degree,” Tabeling said. “I’m already halfway done, and there’s really no point in leaving. I trust coach (Boldon) so much, and I know exactly what he wants to do, so kind of having that trust for him, it made the decision so much easier.”
Baxter also made it clear that she was staying put in Ohio.
“I sat down with coach (Boldon), and he was like, ‘You’re not leaving, are you?’’ Baxter said. “Just getting those minutes and actually starting was very big for me, so there’s no reason for me to
With both players in their junior years now and younger players entering the fray and putting on the Bobcats jersey, Tabeling and Baxter are now in the leadership position of those they once looked up to.
“Freshman year, you never really want to say anything because you’re not exactly sure if what you’re going to say is wrong,” Tabeling said. “Sophomore year, you’re kind of like, okay, I think I can say this, but in my junior year now, I just say it … I tell people all the time, you can’t take anything personally.”
College basketball is a rough sport and takes a lot of dedication and effort to succeed in. Balancing that along with academics is hard, but as leaders and upperclassmen, Tabeling and Baxter have both experienced the pains and pleasures of it. Giving advice to the freshmen on the team and helping them hone their craft is part of the leadership role.
BG326422@OHIO.EDU
Ajay Sheldon stands for a portrait in The Convo, Feb. 26, 2026, in Athens. (HG BIGGS | FOR THE POST)
Aidan Hadaway stands for a portrait in The Convo, Feb. 26, 2026, in Athens. (HG BIGGS | FOR THE POST)
Guard, Bailey Tabeling (21) during the Bobcats game against ODU, Feb. 7, 2026. The Bobcats lost to the Monarchs 84-76, in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS| FOR THE POST)
OHIO FALLS JUST SHORT ON THE ROAD AGAINST BALL STATE
Aliah McWhorter.
Ohio (15-12 overall, 9-7 MidAmerican Conference) lost to Ball State by a final score of 86-85. It’s the third loss in a row for the Bobcats, who, despite struggling in the past few games, have secured a spot in the MAC Tournament and have now taken one of the top teams in the MAC down to the wire.
Poor shooting once again played a factor in this Ohio loss, as despite Ohio shooting 10 more field goal attempts and 20 more 3-pointers than Ball State, it shot 38% from the field and 32% from 3, far from what was needed to win the game comfortably. Ball State was able to shoot 45% from the floor and 41% from 3, which gave them the win despite shooting the ball considerably less.
The first-quarter saw both squads exchange shots back and forth until a pair of 3-pointers by Ball State, which put it ahead by 6 points. From there on out, it was a game of catch-up for the Bobcats. Ball State was always a step ahead, and the Cardinals were hot from 3, making 5 out of 8 shots from beyond the arc.
Ohio was able to put up 14 3-pointers, but only 3 of them connected with the net, putting Ohio into a bit of an offensive slump early on. Ohio was able to get one last shot off, a jumper by redshirt sophomore guard Bella Ranallo, to bring the game within 5 points heading into the second-quarter. Ball State was up 22-17.
The second-quarter was a continuation of the catch-up style of play for Ohio, with junior guard Bailey Tabeling opening the quarter with a 3, and Ball State following right back up with one of its own.
Ohio was able to tie the game a few times, at 29-29 off a free throw by graduate student forward Elli Garnett and 32-32 with a 3-pointer from graduate student guard
The Bobcats were never able to lead, though, and Ball State was able to maintain control for the entire quarter, despite it getting dicey for the Cardinals a few times. Neither team shot the ball well in this quarter, with both teams being under 40% from the field. Going into halftime, the score was 38-37 with Ball State out front.
The third-quarter gave the Bobcats a chance to come back, but they squandered the opportunity. Ball State missed all 6 of its 3-point attempts, but Ohio made only 1 of 9, 3-point shots. That successful 3-pointer was also the only 1 of 2 field goals converted by the Bobcats in this quarter.
Ohio was kept alive by free throws, which it made 10, as Ball State shot well from inside the arc and gained an even bigger lead throughout the quarter. It seemed like a landslide for the Bobcats as Ball State kept piling up, turning what was a 1-point lead into an eight-point lead as the quarter closed. The score was 60-52 with Ball State being in control.
Ohio’s offense came alive in the fourth-quarter, but it was too late. The Bobcats made 7 out of 10, 3-point attempts as Ohio outshot Ball State in this quarter, but the hole from earlier was too much to get out of. As the game went down to the wire, the poor shooting from the Bobcats earlier mattered a lot more.
Ball State would have the lead for most of the fourthquarter, but Ohio always kept prodding at them, especially at the 3-point line.
With under four minutes to play in the quarter, though, Ohio started to storm back, bringing the game within 4. This number would bounce around a bit, but the game would end on a Bobcat 3-pointer from Gigi Bowers to bring the score within 1 point. Ohio would lose the game 86-85.
Bella Ranallo credits coaching staff for confidence, success
CARLY KUNKLER FOR THE POST
After two years at Clemson, guard Bella Ranallo transferred to Ohio as a redshirt sophomore. In her freshman season, she had only played in 7 games.
In her first season with the Bobcats, she is averaging 11.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game, starting all 26 of their games, so far. She credits the Ohio coaching staff and teammates for helping her realize her potential and grow her skillset.
“The coaches have been amazing to me,” Ranallo said. “They helped me realize my potential and have really pushed me past that, too. They really just believe in me and put confidence in me, and that’s something I have not always had, so that’s very important to me, too … That’s something I don’t take for granted here.”
Having coaches dedicated to helping her reach her highest potential and even past that could be a big reason for her success this season.
Her basketball career had truly turned around after transferring. The transfer process can be intimidating and unwelcoming for some athletes because of the pressure of performing for a new team and staff, and the anxiety that moving to a new place can bring.
Ranallo claims her experience was smooth and welcoming because of how receptive the team and coaching staff were.
“I felt at home right away, from knowing where to go
on campus, who I’m with, my friends and the coaching staff,” she said. “Having to start over was pretty hard for a little bit, but then I used that as a chance to fully grow, and the coaching staff and my teammates really helped with that by being a big part of it and helping me be more comfortable.”
Being around a welcoming team can certainly improve performance and mindset, both on the court and off. Having a good relationship with teammates builds chemistry on the court, making each player want to improve their skills to see a payoff for the team.
Ranallo said the Bobcats excel with this.
“Our team is filled with a lot of
people who really just want to win, so we just try to push each other in practice and games to make us better throughout the season,” Ranallo said on the team’s chemistry. “Our togetherness has gotten us here and through all the wins.”
The ability to be a part of a team that not only wants personal success but success for everyone pushes each athlete to be their best. This
is arguably the reason why Ranallo has done so well since transferring to Ohio.
“My relationship with the team is great. I just get to play with a group of girls who are not just good basketball players, but great people in general,” she said. “Wanting to play for my teammates and coaching staff is something that’s really important to me.”
She also claims that she has grown not only as an athlete, but also as a person. This is another thing that new team chemistry can improve.
“I definitely have been more confident in myself, as a basketball player and outside of basketball, too,” Ranallo said. “The coaching staff really has been a big part of that, and they helped me grow into a basketball player and a human being.”
Ranallo clearly thinks very highly of her teammates and her coaches. This could be a big reason as to why her first season with the Bobcats has been such a breakout season for her.
Aliah McWhorter reaps benefits of staying loyal to Ohio
LONDON DEMARCO FOR THE POST
said. “They had what I was looking for, studying-wise, and it was a competitive program.”
unfortunately, my coaches and I at Wake Forest weren’t really clicking.”
Ohio will stay on the road for its upcoming matchup against Eastern Michigan, which will be its second-to-last game of the regular season.
DB948724@OHIO.EDU
Graduate student guard Aliah McWhorter has played a huge role in her second season as a Bobcat, as she has been a big leader in her team’s 2025-26 campaign and its push for the Mid-American Conference tournament. She is currently third on her team in scoring this season, second in field goal percentage and fourth in blocks.
Many years before McWhorter was in her final year of college, she was just a kid at Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, who looked up to Baylor/WNBA star Brittany Griner and her older sister.
McWhorter played both her junior and senior years at Sycamore on varsity, where she became a high school legend and collected many accolades. She was a twotime First-team All-Greater Miami Conference, Ohio AllState selection, Second Team All-Southwest Ohio District and on top of that, she broke her school’s record for most career blocks.
These impressive awards led her to earn six offers from different colleges. One of the schools that stood out to
She would verbally commit to being a Demon Deacon early in her junior year of high school.
Her role at Wake Forest was very limited her freshman year; she only saw the court in five games with minimal minutes played.
As she was getting ready for her sophomore season at Wake Forest, she tore her ACL and meniscus in practice. The injury went undetected for weeks and was diagnosed as just a knee sprain.
This injury would end her sophomore season before it even started, and knock out the majority of her junior season as well.
“It was a mentally grueling process,” McWhorter said about her recovery. “It really took just taking it day by day and appreciating the small wins throughout the long process.”
McWhorter went into her senior year at Wake Forest with just one healthy season under her belt. McWhorter’s role that year, while still being very limited, had grown a little. She had minutes in 13 of their games, including a start.
during her visit was Wake Forest University.
“I went on
Aliah ended her fourth year at Wake Forest with little to show for it because of her injury. She only used two years of eligibility in her four years at Wake Forest University. This meant she had two more years of college eligibility, and with those two years of eligibility left, and academics in mind, McWhorter decided to transfer.
“I think it boiled down to what I wanted academically as I was looking into vet school,” McWhorter said.
“I also wanted a fresh start in a new environment.
Basketball is obviously huge on relationships with your teammates and coaches, and
In the middle of spring 2024, Aliah McWhorter decided to transfer to Ohio to play under head coach Bob Bolden. When McWhorter was looking for a college to transfer to, the stars aligned for Ohio.
“It was close to home, and it had classes I needed,” McWhorter said. “Ohio was also one of the schools that recruited me out of high school, so I was already familiar with the coaches.”
McWhorter immediately became an important role on her new team as an experienced player. She was fourth on her team in scoring with 175 points that season, fifth in rebounds, third in blocks, second in assists and tied for fourth in steals.
Despite McWhorter’s huge breakout season, Ohio would struggle with an overall record of 6-23 and a 4-14 conference record. Ohio finished secondto-last in the MAC.
Now with one more year of eligibility, McWhorter had a very difficult decision to make, as she could stick around for her final season or chase another opportunity with a different program.
McWhorter decided to stay at Ohio and try to help her fellow Bobcats turn their team around in her final year of eligibility, staying loyal to Ohio.
“I think there’s a lot of value in just appreciating and having loyalty to your program,” McWhorter said.
“I think it’s so easy to chase NIL money nowadays. I liked my relationship with my coaches, and they were very open and helpful in getting my confidence back. The first season didn’t go well, but it doesn’t mean that’s going to be our identity.”
Fast forward a year, and the Bobcats have almost tripled their wins from last season and have clinched a MAC Tournament berth with only a few more regular-season games.
McWhorter
my visit to Wake (Forest), and loved the campus,” McWhorter
Photos By JOHN FOUSS 1. Guard, ReRe Jennings (2) during the Bobcats game against ODU
Guard Bella Ranallo (3)
CLARA LEDER ASST. OPINION EDITOR
March 3 brings a total lunar eclipse, also known as a “blood moon.” According to NASA, “A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon, casting a gigantic shadow across the lunar surface and turning the Moon a deep reddish-orange.”
The total lunar eclipse will bring renewed energy to all the signs and can be viewed with the naked eye. It will reach maximum visibility in Athens, Ohio, at 6:33 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3. Coupled with the continuing energy of Mercury retrograde, this week is sure to be interesting for everyone.
Aries (March 21–April 19)
The eclipse energy brings newness to your routine, Aries. Take time this week to focus on your health and wellbeing; it’s important now more than ever for you to rest. Slow down; it will only aid you in your future endeavors. Venus, the planet of love, enters Aries on March 6, bringing an extra surge of self-confidence to your love life. Enjoy the ride, but remember to take it all in before making decisions.
Taurus (April 20–May 20)
This week, Taurus, focus on what truly brings you joy. The eclipse encourages you to tap into your romantic and playful energy, and this week is extra lucky in love for you. You may feel extra reassured and bold this week; lean into your desires. Be brave, Taurus, and let
HOROSCOPE
go of old patterns that make your clarity muddy.
Gemini (May 21–June 20)
Your work life is going to feel extra chaotic this week. The eclipse energy mixed with Mercury retrograde will affect your communication, making it feel difficult to be understood. Examine where you have been stretched thin in your life. Make clear intentions with yourself in terms of your goals, and remember it’s OK to not have it all figured out.
Cancer (June 21–July 22)
Cancer, this week the eclipse is begging you to take a close look at your patterns. This retrograde season has been extra emotional for you, and it’s time to break off old habits, especially those in your relationships. Push yourself toward extra self-care practices and remember that honest conversations only deepen connections, including the connection with yourself.
Leo (July 23–Aug. 22)
The lunar eclipse encourages you to make decisions you’ve been avoiding, Leo. Specifically, to release patterns around shared responsibilities. Stop cleaning up after people who don’t even wipe their feet at the door, Leo. Use your skills to be more direct in your relationships and know that honesty will carry you into brighter spaces.
Virgo (Aug. 23–Sep. 22)
The lunar eclipse falls in the sign of Virgo, bringing a burst of cosmic energy
CROSSWORD
to your week. This is a major reset, especially with matters of identity and relationships. This week, release your perfectionist tendencies and embrace qualities that will aid you in the future. Seek out clarity and shed anything or anyone who no longer fits you. You’re magnetic, Virgo.
Libra (Sep. 23–Oct. 22)
For you, sweet Libra, the eclipse energy brings an extra tenderness to your inner world, your dreams, intuition and imagination. These will feel extra heightened this week. Encourage yourself to examine your life with gentleness, tap into creative practices and show up to every room with authenticity. Keep your boundaries firm and use the new moon energy to reignite your softer side.
Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)
The “blood moon” brings a burst of energy to your social life, Scorpio. This week, it will be revealed which relationships support you and which hold you back. Expect breakthroughs in your relationships, as the universe invites you to act boldly and embrace playful relationships. As Mercury continues its retrograde path, you may feel especially emotional and empathetic this week.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21)
Your career is front and center this week, Sagittarius. Use the eclipse energy to re-examine your long-term goals and pour some extra energy into your career path. You may need to release prior expectations or refocus on your
purpose. Patience will be your guiding light this week, as your ambitions and passion will be at an all-time high. Remember, you don’t have to get it all done this week; simply embrace the energy and build attainable goals.
Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
This new moon cycle sparks your curiosity, Capricorn. Expect to feel especially drawn toward emotional intelligence this week, whether that’s in a new romantic interest or a newly assigned group in class. Encourage yourself to make bold moves in your educational or career spaces this week. Push yourself toward growth, even if it is uncomfortable at first.
Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
Aquarius, this new moon begs you to reorganize and invest. This week is financially abundant for you, but the eclipse asks you to take it slow, investing in your finances and yourself before making big changes. This week, selfassurance is your greatest tool. Be sure to invest in bonds and ventures that serve you and cut off those that don’t. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
This eclipse is all about relationships for you, Pisces. Expect a unique sense of clarity this week, whether it’s geared toward expectations of others or letting go of old patterns. This week, your motivation will be extra high, and you may even feel extra courageous. Take a chance, Pisces, rele
SUDOKU
“(I) met with (Lamar Thornton)
a couple of times, and he was really recruiting me, but it kind of fell off,” Simmons said. “So I was kind of upset that they didn’t recruit me out of high school and recruited some other people.”
The move to Toledo worked for Simmons, as he redshirted his first year with the team before making his mark in a big way his first year on the floor, averaging 12.2 points per game and five rebounds per game en route to winning MAC Freshman of the Year.
That year would end in disappointment as Toledo entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed just to lose to No. 8 Kent State in the first round.
Despite the sour ending to his first year on the court, he followed that season up with another great one, putting up 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his redshirt sophomore year.
Toledo came up short again in the tournament last year, losing to Akron after defeating Ohio, and Simmons knew it was time for a change.
the coaches over there, but I just felt like I needed a change for me.”
Simmons was hesitant to transfer from one MAC school to another, but he eventually found his new home in Athens.
“At first, I wasn’t even entertaining the idea of going back to the MAC,” Simmons said. “That’s so frowned upon, like it’s an even move. But I would say I’m having my best year as a basketball player.”
“When you’ve been there three years, they don’t want you to leave,” Simmons said. “I still love Family ties/continued from pg 1
Now with head coach Jeff Boals and the rest of the Ohio program, Simmons is currently averaging a career-high in
points with 14.3, while shooting over 50% from the floor. He is also averaging 5.6 boards while being a menace defensively on the low block.
The change of schools has been great for his career, even with Simmons ironing out some kinks in different relationships he had with some people in the Ohio program.
Years of playing against guys such as Ajay Sheldon, Vic Searls and AJ Clayton in high school, and two years of consistently playing against the Bobcats created tension.
“I told Ajay (Sheldon), the first
“I’ve been able to test the limits with Elli,” Abby Garnett said. “I can be hard on her, but she knows I’m her number one fan at the end of the day.”
The comforting relationship between the two has pushed Elli Garnett to become a better player.
“I think being able to totally be me has been super awesome, and I’m not afraid to be who I am,” Elli Garnett said. “That has only made me better, on and off the court.”
However, there can also be some downsides to their situations. Siblings bicker a lot, and it can be hard not to do that or show disrespect in front of the rest of the team.
“Maybe we’ve bumped heads, but at the end of the day, we get to call each other sister, so that’s pretty cool,” Elli Garnett said.
Abby Garnett also played a part in recruiting Elli Garnett. Portal season is big for every athlete and every team, with each team having new needs each season. Abby Garnett kept an eye and an ear out for what Elli Garnett was going to do.
“She and I, through distance, talk every day, so I gauged that she was about to transfer, and I shared that with (head coach Bob Bolden),” Abby Garnett said. “I think it was a no-brainer, the kind of kid we were going to be getting.”
Elli Garnett was always open to playing for Ohio, and she has enjoyed having her older sister as her guide around town and around the university.
While this is certainly special for both sisters, it is also special for the parents and the rest of the family to see both get to work together. They are close enough in age that they played in high school together. Both of their parents played basketball in college, too.
“They look forward to hearing our voices together, when we’re driving in the car, or seeing us on TV,” Elli Garnett said. “It’s kind of a light in their life, and it’s special. They love it and are so grateful we get to have each other going through the year.”
In addition to pulling on their heartstrings, having both daughters in the same town has made the Garnett parents’ visits a lot more cost-effective.
“I told Ajay (Sheldon) the first thing I wanted to do when I got here was fight Aidan (Hadaway)
- Javan Simmons
thing I wanted to do when I got here was fight Aidan (Hadaway),” Simmons said.
“I don’t care what nobody’s saying. If I see him, I’m fighting. I meant that.”
Luckily for the team, the promised scrap with Hadaway never happened, and now the two forwards who are often the big man pairing in the Ohio starting lineup are good friends and teammates.
“And once I got around him, I call him my twin now,” Simmons said. “That’s my dog.”
The change for Simmons has brought him improved relationships with teammates, coaches and a career-high scoring year for the forward.
Simmons also went on to gush about the campus at Ohio, as Athens has also provided him with a new change of scenery, literally speaking.
“It was an urban campus, so you didn’t see much grass, (there was a lot of ) concrete,” Simmons said on the Toledo campus. “Here, (there’s) fresh air, trees, you can even tell with the deer running around. Stuff like that, it’s cool … I never went fishing when I was at Toledo, (the) first week down here, (I was) fishing.”
Now nearing the end of his first season in Athens, Simmons is exactly where he wants to be.
“I couldn’t ask for a better like program,” Simmons said. “I feel like the coaches trust me, I trust them. I feel like it’s been a blessing to even be here … I wanted to leave the state at first, and then I couldn’t turn this down.”
“They come to visit us together, and that’s been fun, too,” Abby Garnett said. “We haven’t got to experience that in years.”
This is certainly a unique situation for the Garnetts and the Bobcats, but it has had its payoff. Elli Garnett is averaging 8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, thanks to her sister and the rest of the coaching staff.
“Having that separation and distance when I went to college and Elli went to college, and we were in different places, our parents were supporting two different teams at the same time, which they loved through and through, but the opportunity to come and do this together is unlike any other,” Abby Garnett said.
Get to know point guard Jackson Paveletzke
CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR
For the last two seasons, Jackson Paveletzke has been the driving engine behind Ohio men’s basketball. The senior guard made an immediate impact since transferring from Iowa State before his junior year, earning third-team All-MAC honors last year.
This season, he has been great again, leading the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game, assists with 5.1 and shooting 47.9% from the floor.
Following a win at home over Ball State, The Post talked with Paveletzke about many topics.
TP: You’re from Kimberly, Wisconsin. What was the basketball culture like growing up in a smaller town?
Paveletzke: It wasn’t bad competition out there. It’s pretty good competition. My dad coached me growing up through grade school, and then once I got to high school, obviously, he didn’t coach me, but I was always well coached. It just taught me how to play the game the right way, and I think that’s helped me to this day.
TP: You signed with Wofford out of high school. What was the recruiting process like then?
Paveletzke: It’s obviously out in South Carolina, so far from home. But I really saw it as a blessing for me. I got to go in there and have a really big role as a freshman, which not a lot of freshmen get to do … I went in there, started every game, (won) Freshman of the Year. I was an all-league player as a freshman, and that’s pretty rare.
TP: After the year at Iowa State, what went into your decision to transfer here to Ohio?
Paveletzke: That place was not for me, so it was a great opportunity here.
Coach Boals and the staff have had a great track record of point guards with (Jason Preston), Mark (Sears) and Jalen Hunter. Jalen was graduating, and I saw it as a big opportunity for me to come in and run the show.
TP: What is your favorite memory so far playing at Ohio?
Paveletzke: It’s got to be hitting that buzzer-beater against Eastern Michigan, or the St. Bonaventure game down in Cleveland. That was one of the times when I just took over.
TP: What is that feeling like for you to take over a game?
Paveletzke: You have uber confidence. I mean, you feel like anything you shoot is gonna go in, like the rim feels big.
TP: What is the largest number of points you have scored in a game at any level?
Paveletzke: I scored 50 in high school in my senior year.
TP: What do you remember about that game?
Paveletzke: It was actually on the night that I scored my 1,000th point of high school, too. I needed 12 to get it, and I ended up going for 50. It was on the road against the number one team in
the state. I had all my family there, all my friends from college … that night was one of the best nights of my career.
TP: What is your pregame routine like? Are there any superstitions or songs that are staples?
Paveletzke: I have to shoot around. I get a pregame meal, and then I watch the managers play five on five, and hang out with them for a little bit … I don’t listen to music before the games. So, something that not a lot of people do.
TP: If you had to choose one teammate to survive a zombie apocalypse with, who would it be and why?
Paveletzke: My guy, Javan Simmons.
TP: This is your second year in Athens. What are your favorite spots to go in the city?
Paveletzke: I like Courtside (Pizza), I like North End … I get food there, just chill there, have a good time. Those are the main spots on Court Street. I live on Court Street this year, so I’ve been exploring a lot of the food spots and everything down there.
TP: What are some goals of yours for the rest of the season?
Paveletzke: Just go out with no regrets. That’s really the main thing. I don’t want to end my college career thinking back and regretting stuff. So just play as hard as I can, have as much fun as I can, because after this, I’m done with college basketball… (also) just make it to Cleveland. You never know what can happen down there.”
Guard, Jackson Paveletzke (13) during the Bobcats game against Toledo, Feb. 28, 2026. The Bobcats lost to Toledo 79-67, in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS| FOR THE POST)
Ohio University senior Abby Garnett (20) hugs head coach Bob Bolden after she exits her last game against Eastern Michigan at the Convocation Center on March 4, 2023. (JACK TATHAM | FOR THE POST)
