Courtesy: Ohio State Athletics
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ten prospective student-athletes from seven different states have announced their intentions to continue their athletic and academic careers at Ohio State University by signing national letter of intent with the defending Big Ten Conference champion women’s swimming and diving program. New Buckeyes are from the states of Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Texas.
Last Wednesday was the first day prospects could sign letters of intent with schools.
“I am very excited about our signing classes and where they fit into the future of our program,” Bill Dorenkott, director of men’s and women’s swimming and diving, said. “These young men and women are excited to be Buckeyes, and are ready to chase elite both in and out of the pool. We believe that we have identified individuals with very high athletic ceilings, as well as the character and drive to align with the culture of OSU Swimming and Diving.
“I want to thank our coaches and especially our athletes for their part in putting together this class. Go Bucks!”
Ohio State’s 2020 Signees
Reese Dehen
Ramsey, Minn.
Anoka High School
Great Wolf Swim Team
5-5
- Reese swims for head coach David Bentz with her Great Wolf Swim Team and Nicole Hedman for Anoka High School
- Three-time state champion, three-time all-state selection and multiple team MVP award winner
- She is an Anoka team captain, five-time swimming All-American and a four-time all-conference honoree
- Has also been named an Academic All-American for three consecutive years
- The daughter of Julie and John Dehen
- Has three siblings: Calen, Max and Jackson
Mackenzie DeWitt
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson High School
Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team
5-6
- Mackenzie swims for coach Matt Davis at Hudson High School and also with the Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team
- Has earned all-Ohio honors 11 times; four individual honors and seven relay honors
- NISC All-American in the 50 free, 100 butterfly and six times as part of relay teams
- Hudson High School record-holder in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly
- A three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American with Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team
- Has competed at three winter junior championships (Knoxville, Tenn.; Greensboro, N.C.; and Atlanta)
- Parents are Tanya and Shane DeWitt
- Has an older sister, Kaitlyn, and a younger brother, Chase
Nyah Funderburke
New Albany, Ohio
Columbus School for Girls
New Albany Aquatics Club
5-10
- Nyah is already a three-time Ohio state high school champion heading into her season season with wins in the 50 free, 100 back and 100 fly
- Team MVP at New Albany for coach Brian Botzman
- Competes for coach John Coffman with New Albany Aquatics
- Two-time soccer letter winner and leading score as a sophomore
- Also ran track and field and was a state qualifier as part of the 4×200 relay team in 2018
- Her father, Lawrence, played basketball for the Buckeyes before a long NBA career with Sacramento and Chicago
- Mom is Monya and has a younger brother, Eli
Paige Hall
Vienna, Va.
Bishop O’Connell High School
Machine Aquatics
5-10
- Paige earned first-team all-state honors in 2020 swimming for coach Beth O’Connor Baker at Bishop O’Connell
- Holds five school records and named a second-team All-American
- Swims for coach Dan Jacobs at Machine Aquatics
- A three-time scholastic All-American competing for Machine Aquatics and was a summer junior nationals finalist in the 100 back
- A U.S. Open finalists in the 200 back
- Has also lettered in volleyball at Bishop O’Connell
- Parents are Wendy and Greg Hall and has one sister, Eden
Teresa Ivan
Charlotte, N.C.
Ardrey Kell High School
Great Wolf
Mecklenburg Swim Association
6-0
- Teresa is a two-time all-conference performer and team MVP for Ardrey Kell High School and coach William Kieth
- State champion and runner-up at 2020 North Carolina state meet
- Two-time NISCA All-American
- Junior national champion and two-time All-American swimming for the Mecklenburg Swim Association and coach Jeremy Gregory
- Multiple national/junior national qualifications
- Parents are Josie and Robert Ivan
- Has three younger siblings: brother David and sisters Michelle and Dominique
Lena Morgan
Westerville, Ohio
Worthington Christian High School
Ohio State Diving Club
5-4
- Lena is the sole diver in this 2020 Ohio State recruiting class
- Was an Ohio State diving champion in 2020 and a runner-up in 2019
- Multiple podium finishes at the district meets
- Competes for coach Jill McInerney at Worthington Christian
- Also dives for the Ohio State diving club under the direction of coach Mandy Eby
- Is the daughter of Amy and Eric Morgan
- Has one younger sister, Lily
Mairin O’Brien
Pepper Pike, Ohio
Hathaway Brown High School
Cleveland Swim Institute
5-11
- Mairin is the defending Ohio Division 2 state champion in the 50 freestyle and as part of the 400 freestyle relay
- 2020 state runner-up in the 100 free and the 200 free relay
- Named scholastic All-American in both 2019 and 2020
- Part of the state record-setting 400 free relay team in 2018
- Swims for coach Roderick Speed at Hathaway Brown and for coach Eric Dennis at the Cleveland Swim Institute
- Finished in the Top 15 in the 50 free and in the Top 20 in the 100 free at the 2019 junior national meet
- Parents are Kathleen and Patrick O’Brien and has an older brother, Jack
Mia Rankin
Phoenix, Ariz.
Xavier College Prep
Phoenix Swim Club
5-9
- Mia is a two-time team MVP and a two-time class MVP for her high school team, Xavier College Prep, where she competes for her father, who is head coach
- Team captain as a senior
- Xavier Prep was Arizona state team champion in 2017
- Competes for the Phoenix Swim Club under coaches Michael Maczuga and Garret McCaffrey
- Two-time junior national team competitor and named best competitor for her U.S. Open team
- Parents are Mark Rankin, and step-mother, InaMae and has one younger brother, Luke
- Mother, father and an uncle all swam for Arizona; mother and uncle were U.S. Olympic Trials finalists
Malia Rausch
Austin, Texas
Lake Travis High School
Austin Swim Club
6-0
- Malia is a three-time letter winner at Lake Travis High School
- All-state, All-American and Scholastic All-American honoree
- 2020 Texas state champion in the 500 freestyle and runner-up in the 200 IM
- Swims for Roric Fink with the Austin Swim Club
- Top 16 qualifier at 2019 winter juniors west in the 200, 500 and 1,650 freestyles, respectively
- From same high school as Ohio State star sophomore receiver, Garrett Wilson
- Parents are Marcia and Jon Rausch and has three siblings: Jack, Macy and Jordan.
Gwen Woodbury
Saginaw, Mich.
Cranbrook Kingswood High School
Motor City Aquatics
5-10
- Gwen is a state champion for Cranbrook Kingswood High School under coach Chris Bagey
- Michigan state champion as a freshman in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events
- Took state championship runner-up honors in the 100 and 200 freestyle as a sophomore
- A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American
- Also competes for Motor City Aquatics under coach Bill Thompson
- Parents are Jeanne and Scott Woodbury and has three siblings: Maclain, Emerson and Beckett
- Father was a member of the rowing team at the University of Rhode Island and mother played lacrosse at Boston College
- A great uncle, Andy Robustelli, is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
