COLUMBUS, Ohio – As the calendar flips to a new year in 2025, the Capital University Athletic Department has many moments from 2024 to look back on with pride, excitement, accomplishment, and positivity. On the final day of 2024, we take a look back on 24 outstanding moments for Capital Athletics this past calendar year.
The year featured numerous quality wins for all of our teams, a conference championship, the inaugural competition for a new varsity program, and more on the playing surfaces. Several awards were won, including three All-Americans and many more region and conference accolades, and our student-athletes got it done in the classroom, showcased by dozens of Academic All-Conference honorees and Academic All-District recipients.
Away from the competition surfaces, the department saw the addition of several new staff members, including head coaches Corey Kirk, Adam Stewart, Ian Kellogg, Lance Gordon, and Kara Concheck and administrative assistant Amy Reynolds among other assistant coaches. The Capital Athletic offices also received a much needed face-lift with the addition of Comet branding, paint, lighting, and entertainment all being added to the reception area and conference room. The upgrade was provided to ensure a welcoming environment to the athletic suite as well as to provide a refreshed space for recruiting visits and office meetings. Additionally, Capital Athletics partnered with the Film and Media Production department on campus to re-launch the Capital Sports Network broadcast service, introducing several student-run, multi-camera broadcasts for Capital Athletic events. Finally, the department was highlighted on the national stage in March as The Capital Center Performance Arena served as the host site for the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championships.
MOMENT #1: Women's Basketball Wins the Oar at Otterbein (January 20th) 
The Capital University women's basketball team defeated crosstown rivals, Otterbein University on the road in a thrilling 78-76 win in what was the team's ninth straight win. Maddi Weiland led a quartet of Comets in double-digit scoring, finishing the game with 20 points. Samaree Perkins ended with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in the effort as well. The win over Otterbein also marked the third in a row for the Comets.
MOMENT #2: Men's Basketball Defeats No. 16 Ranked Mount Union (February 3rd) 
The Capital men's basketball team hosted No. 16 ranked Mount Union in one of their toughest games of the season, where the Comets would lead for nearly three quarters of the game enroute to a 79-72 victory of the hard-nosed Purple Raiders. Justin Nixon put together a strong game for the Capital with 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks to carry the Comets to victory. Four others would score double-digit points in the effort as well.
MOMENT #3: Zion Park Wins the Pole Vault at the Indoor OAC Championships (February 23rd) 
Senior pole vaulter Zion Park led a strong performance at the OAC Indoor Championships for the Comet track and field teams by winning the Pole Vault in program and facility record-breaking fashion. Park vaulted a height of 4.71 meters, besting the Comet program record of 4.70 meters which had stood for 16 years previously. Additionally, the height set a new facility record at Muskingum's indoor track. The winning effort from Park highlighted a great weekend for the Comets who also added nine program top-10 marks to the record books at the event. The men's program finished seventh at the event, while the women placed ninth.
MOMENT #4: Dom Glenn Competes at NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships (March 8th) 
Junior sprinter Dom Glenn became the seventh unique male track student-athlete to compete at the NCAA Indoor National Championships as he took to the track in the 60-meter dash. Glenn qualified for the event with his school record breaking time of 6.83 seconds. On the national stage, Glenn finished 20th in the nation with a time of 7.32 seconds and marked his first competition at the National Championships. Glenn was the first Capital student-athlete to compete at nationals since Josh Miller in 2021.
MOMENT #5: Capital University Hosts the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championships (March 14th & 16th) 
Capital University served as the host site for the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championships, beginning with the Final Four taking place on Thursday, March 14th and the Championship game being held on Saturday, March 16th. The Capital Center served as the location for four teams – eventual National Champion, New York University, National Runner-Ups, Smith, and Semifinalists, Transylvania and Wartburg. Throughout the duration of the event, more than 2,600 fans attended the three games. In addition to the NCAA's games, Capital also hosted the WBCA Senior All-Star Game and held a book drive for the Columbus Book Bank and the Second and Seven Foundation. The book drive collected more than a thousand books for those in need of access to reading within the Columbus communities.
MOMENT #6: Softball Wins the Oar Over Otterbein in Walk-Off Fashion (March 29th) 
After dropping the first game of the doubleheader in a tight 8-6 decision, Capital softball responded in force to defeat Otterbein 6-5 in extra innings in the nightcap to reclaim the Oar after a year's hiatus. In the Battle for the Oar game, Capital went in front in the third inning thanks to a solo home run from Kyleigh Kirby. Unfortunately, Otterbein responded with four runs to go in front 4-1. Kirby then delivered another solo shot to cut the score to 4-2. After Kirby's homer, Megan Parry singled home Emma Sweetman, making the score 4-3. In the seventh inning, Otterbein went up 5-3, leaving Capital needing to generate some offense in the bottom of the seventh. There, the Comets got a two-RBI double from Emma Gant that scored Larae Portis and Emma Sweetman, tying the game at 5-5. In extra innings, McKenzie Kennedy delivered the winning run, reaching on an error to give Cap a 6-5 walk-off winner. Megan Mlinaric and Krislyn Bayles split time on the mound, both pitching outstanding outings to lead the Comets.
MOMENT #7: Men's Lacrosse Wins the Oar on the Road at Otterbein (April 20th) 
The Comets maintained possession of the coveted Oar in a 16-13 win in Westerville, defeating Otterbein for the second year in a row. A strong second quarter in which Capital blitzed the Cards for six goals put the Comets in front for good in the eventual win. All-American attackman Mason Spaulding led the Comet offense with seven goals in the game. Nathan Montgomery added three goals and two assists, while Jacob Poole and Ty Chase each added two goals in the win. Aiden Manning and Max Schillig were the others to find the scoresheet in the exciting win. Others with big performances in the game included James Howenstine (6 caused turnovers), Freddy Noday (14 faceoff wins and 9 ground balls), Gino Nave (6 ground balls and 3 caused turnovers) and Luc Kadlic (16 saves).
MOMENT #8: Women's Lacrosse Defeats Otterbein for Ninth Straight Time to Retain Oar (April 20th) 
The Capital University women's lacrosse team shook off a shaky first half to storm back with seven fourth quarter goals enroute to a 17-14 win over visiting Otterbein University. The win marked the ninth consecutive victory over their crosstown rivals. In the game, Capital's Andi Henry led the team with seven goals, an assist, three ground balls and four caused turnovers, followed closely by Grace Osborn who finished with five goals, two assists, four ground balls and five draw controls. Ava Vendetti also put together a strong game with four goals, one assist, two ground balls and seven draws. Heather Stoner accounted for the other Comet goal, while Brenna Todd led the Capital defense with four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Emily Serafinchon ended with five saves in the effort.
MOMENT #9: Baseball Honors President Dave Kaufman by Hosting the Kaufman Kup at Huntington Park (April 23rd) 
Capital Baseball continued their partnership with the Columbus Clippers minor league baseball team, by hosting yet another doubleheader at Huntington Park in downtown Columbus. This time, the Comets hosted crosstown opponents Ohio Wesleyan for a pair of games. Taking things to a new level, the Comet Baseball team dubbed the set of games the 'Kaufman Kup presented by Encova Insurance', a nod to Capital University President Dave Kaufman, who graduated from Ohio Wesleyan and spent several years working as an executive with Encova. Though the Comets did not win the inaugural 'Kaufman Kup', Capital still performed well getting RBI hits from Arnulfo Gonzalez, Michael Andryszczyk, Ryne McKinney, Kielan LaMarr, Connor Feeney, Jonathan Mitchner and Ben Stevens.
MOMENT #10: Women's Tennis Beats Baldwin Wallace to Secure a Trip to the OAC Tournament (April 27th) 
Capital University women's tennis made a successful comeback effort to defeat Baldwin Wallace University 6-3 in their final match of the season and qualify for the OAC Tournament. The Comets fell behind 2-1 after doubles play that saw the team's only point come from the duo of Anna Fletcher and Nicole Flock winning #1 doubles, 8-5. In singles play, Capital nearly pulled off the six-court sweep, winning five of the remaining six points to lock up the win. Fletcher, Flock, Amy Wright-Lovell, Rachel Smith, and Jenny Rollins all came away with wins to swing the result in Capital's favor.
MOMENT #11: Ben Satterthwaite's All-OAC Finish Leads Men's Golf to Third at OAC Championships (April 28th) 
Capital senior golfer Ben Satterthwaite earned his third All-OAC accolade with a 10th place individual finish that led the Purple and White to a third place finish as a team. Satterthwaite finished the four-round OAC Championship with a score of 296. He was followed by Adam Czerniakowski who shot 303 for the weekend. Keegan Billingham placed T-18th with a score of 304. Rounding out the squad were Ricky Walsh (311) and Jack Curtis (309). As a unit, the Comets shot 1,199 strokes over the four rounds, highlighted by their best score of 298 in round three.
MOMENT #12: Park and Da Cunha Win OAC Titles at Outdoor Track and Field Conference Championships (May 3rd) 
Much like he did during the indoor season, Zion Park defended his OAC title in the pole vault, winning his third career OAC crown with a vault of 4.52 meters. He was joined atop the podium by Maria Da Cunha on the women's side who took top spot in the 400-meter hurdles, winning the event in 1:04.51. In addition to the two individual titles, Capital track and field put forth strong efforts across the board, with the men's 4x100 relay also setting a new school record. That quartet set a new time of 41.44 seconds, beating a record that had previously stood since 2006. In the team standings, the Capital men were ninth, while the women were eighth.
MOMENT #13: Women's Lacrosse Beats Mount Union in OAC Tournament Championship Game for Third Straight Title (May 4th) 
Behind a 10-goal output from All-American Andi Henry, the Capital women's lacrosse team completed a three-peat of the OAC
Tournament Championship, defeating Mount Union by a final score of 22-9. The OAC title also earned the Comets their third straight berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Comets dominated in every facet of the game, blowing past the Purple Raiders with eight first quarter goals that made it virtually impossible for the visitors to catch-up. Behind Henry's 10 goals, fellow All-American Grace Osborn added six goals and four assists with five ground balls, three caused turnovers and 11 draw controls. Ava Vendetti scored four goals and had two assists, while Lily Bower and Brenna Todd each scored once as well. Emily Serafinchon saved 12 shots for the Comets as well. The automatic bid to the NCAA postseason play also came with a hosting nod this season, as Capital hosted the first and second rounds with Hope and Roanoke Colleges converging on Bernlohr Stadium for the event.
MOMENT #14: Emma Konopa Earns First All-OAC Finish for Women's Golf in Five Years (May 5th) 
Emma Konopa led the Comets to a seventh place finish at the 2024 OAC Women's Golf Championships. The performance for the Comets also saw the squad drop 144 strokes off their total from one season before. This year's squad finished with 1,448 strokes, led by Konopa's 338 which placed her 13th overall, earning All-OAC accolades. The All-Conference finish was the first for women's golf since the 2019 season. Rounding out Capital's performance at the event were Hannah Frey (352), Mariah Cotsamire (354), Camryn Mauter (411) and Abigail Crisler (406).
MOMENT #15: Capital Athletics Re-Launches the Capital Sports Network Enhanced Streaming Platform (August 28th) 
After a long summer of rest and re-charging for not only the Comet student-athletes but the coaches and staff as well, it was announced the re-creation of the Capital Sports Network in an effort to enhance the Capital Athletics viewing experience. The Comet athletic department worked closely with the Film and Media Production major within the Communications department at Capital to organize a class designed to teach students the art of multi-camera sports broadcasting. In the class, students work toward learning camera operation, directing, producing and more as it pertains to the nature of sport broadcasting. Students also have the option to express interest in play-by-play and analysis commentary, further developing their experience in sports media. As the class continues to develop, new skills will be introduced and students will continue to progress toward enhancing the at-home viewing experience of Comet Athletic events.
MOMENT #16: Capital University Selected as Host Institution for 2026 NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer National Championships (October 2nd) 
As the NCAA announced the next round of National Championship host sites, Capital University was selected as the host institution for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer Championships to be played at Historic Crew Stadium. This exciting announcement marks the first time in which the NCAA has brought their soccer championships to Columbus, Ohio. As the host institution, Capital will work closely with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and members of the Columbus Crew's staff to execute the event. Historic Crew Stadium is the first soccer-specific stadium in the United States and has served as the host site for numerous championship moments, including the 2015 and 2020 MLS Cups.
MOMENT #17: Capital Athletics Inducts Six New Members to the Hall of Fame as Part of Homecoming Weekend (October 5th) 
Six former student-athletes were inducted into the Capital University Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 5th as part of Homecoming weekend at Capital. Inducted to the 2024 class were Jedd Stucky '81 (baseball/men's soccer), Sean Kelly '89 (football), Jacob Butler '07 (baseball), Kwesi Seabrook '12 (women's track & field), Spencer Niekamp '13 (men's basketball), and Maggie Donnellan Caha '14 (women's soccer). Each inductee proved themself on their respective competition surface while competing in the Purple and White, winning numerous awards, achieving high statistical marks and representing the department and school with high regard as well. Currently, the Capital University Athletics Hall of Fame features 236 inductees since its inception in 1978.
MOMENT #18: Volleyball Defeats Baldwin Wallace for the First Time Since 2014 (October 5th) 
The Capital University volleyball team started OAC play off with a flourish, defeating Baldwin Wallace for the first time since 2014 by a score of 3-1. The Comets took to the road where they were bounced by the hosts in the first set, 25-19. However, from there, Capital charged back with three straight set victories by scores of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20, laying claim to their first OAC win since the 2021 season. In the match, Sophia Sobota led the way with 14 kills, followed by Samaree Perkins with 11 kills. Bryn Whitmer set up the strong offense with 40 assists, while Abby Brunner led the defense with 25 digs, supported by Olivia Spillers (15) and Kenadee Winters (13). Spillers also served up a game-best five aces for the Purple and White.
MOMENT #19: Men's and Women's Bowling Take Part in Inaugural Competition in Debut Season (October 5th) 
Capital University's newest varsity athletic program – men's and women's bowling – set sail on October 5th of 2024, as the Comets took part in the Ohio Bowling Conference's first match of the season. While the team did not place highly in the tournament, Capital will still celebrate the inauguration of the two newest teams of the 21 varsity sports that Capital sponsors. Freshman Baylee Becker led the Comet men in the outing with a four-game score of 737 pins. On the women's side, Sadie Bassitt led the way with 614 pins over four games. Capital bowling has continued to improve as the season has progressed and certainly has their eyes set on more growth during their first season of competition.
MOMENT #20: Avery Hart's 86th Minute Goal Lifts Women's Soccer to Huge Road Win at Ohio Northern (October 19th) 
The Capital University women's soccer team got an 86th minute goal from graduate student Avery Hart to lift the team to a 2-1 victory at Ohio Northern – the team's first win in Ada since the 2015 season. After a scoreless first half of play, Capital emerged from the locker room on the front foot, eventually going in front in the 65th minute as Ryanne Michel sent a far shot to the back of the net, breaking the deadlock. After a Polar Bear tying goal with six minutes remaining, Hart got through on goal after a pass from Ava Spirk and slotted it home past the ONU goalie to make it 2-1 in Cap's favor. The result would hold for the Comets, marking one of the program's best wins in recent history. Liv Alford made eight saves for Capital in the match.
MOMENT #21: Cross Country Matches Highest Finish in Program History at OAC Championships (November 2nd)
The Capital University men's and women's cross country programs put forth strong efforts at the OAC Championships matching the best team finishes in decades for the Comets. The women placed sixth, while the men placed seventh. Overall, the leader on the course was Grace Osborn who clocked in a time of 22:42.40 on the 6K course, a time that sits her fourth all-time in Capital history and was good enough for an All-OAC finish. The All-Conference accolade was the first for the Comet women since the 2012 season. On the men's side, Joseph Countryman led the way with what would prove to be the fifth fastest 8K race in program history (25:58.50). Four others performed with top-20 program times as well, further showcasing the Comet success at the event.
MOMENT #22: Jacob Deever's 81st Minute Strike Lifts Men's Soccer Past JCU in the OAC Tournament (November 5th)
After qualifying for the OAC Tournament for yet another season, the Comets traveled to John Carroll University where they would face a pesky Blue Streak team who had sniffed the national rankings all season long. In the OAC quarterfinal match-up, Capital's Jacob Deever connected on the game's only goal in the 81st minute sending the Purple and White to the conference semis. Deever wound up as Capital's leading scorer on the season with eight. In the JCU match, Noah Thomas made six saves before Ethan Ogden polished off the shutout victory over the final 22 minutes. As if a trip to the OAC semis wasn't enough, the Comet win also ended the JCU tenure in OAC men's soccer, leading to a satisfying trip home for the Purple and White.
MOMENT #23: Football Finally Breaks Through in 50-31 Win Over Wilmington (November 16th)
Behind a school record tying six touchdowns from quarterback Ben Owens, the Capital University football team finally broke through with a relieving 50-31 win over visiting Wilmington College in their final game of 2024. The Comets' win proved to be much needed for the team who hadn't recorded a victory since the 2023 season. Ultimately, Capital got big plays when it mattered most as the team got behind the OAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week Ben Owens and Cyrus Burden to push the unit over the finish line. The team's scoring output marked the team's first venture past the half-century since September of 2018. Additionally, the team recovered yet another fumble on defense, which helped solidify the Comets as a top-10 fumble recovery team in the country.
MOMENT #24: Women's Basketball Completes Huge Comeback to Defeat #10 Ranked Ohio Wesleyan (December 16th)
The Capital women's basketball team started the 2024 season on an undefeated 7-0 run, showing signs of great things to come. However, despite an undefeated start to the season, some questioned how good the team was at the time, but many knew they would find an answer to that question as the team hosted #10/12 ranked and undefeated Ohio Wesleyan. In that game, the Comets found themselves trailing by 14 at the half, with a mountain to climb in the second half. In that second stanza, the Comets began chipping away at the lead and eventually – thanks to a string of three consecutive 3-pointers by Bri O'Connor – tied the game at 58-58. From there, Cap got yet another defensive stop, leading to Jenna Horsley knocking down a fourth straight 3-pointer by the Comets to put them in front 61-58. An insurance free throw from Samaree Perkins led to a final score of 62-58, Capital. The result proved Capital had earned their undefeated start to the season and many will be keeping a close eye on the Comets' successes as the season continues to progress.
NOTE: These 24 moments are listed in chronological order only.
