Buckeyes Open 2025 vs. BYU Friday at Covelli

Ohio State vs. BYU – 2025 Season Openers
Dates: Jan. 3&4
Times: 7 p.m. (both matches)
Admission/Parking: Free
Venue: Covelli Center
Live Stream: B1G+
Live Stats: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Rosters: Ohio State | BYU
Season Stats: Ohio State | BYU
Match Notes: Ohio State | BYU

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State (0-0) gets the 2025 season underway Friday (7 p.m.) at the Covelli Center against visiting BYU (0-0) in the season opener for both squads. The teams will meet again Saturday (7 p.m.) in Columbus as well. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+.

Each Ohio State home match is streamed live on B1G+ ($). A link to live stats for all matches is available at OhioStateBuckeyes.com on the Men’s Volleyball schedule page with each individual match listed.

Ohio State opens the 2025 season with a pair of home matches against Brigham Young University at the Covelli Center Jan. 3&4. The Buckeyes are 6-16 all-time in the series. Ohio State’s last two wins in the series were in NCAA Title matches in 2016 (3-0 at Penn State) and in 2017 (3-0 at Ohio State).

Ohio State will serve as the host institution for the 2025 NCAA Championships May 8-12 at the Covelli Center in Columbus.

Ohio State has served as the host for the NCAA Championships on six previous occasions (1978-83-97-2007-17-21). The Buckeyes won the NCAA title at St. John Arena in 2017.

Senior Cole Young along with junior Shane Wetzel were both named to the 2025 Preseason All-MIVA team following a vote by league coaches. Young was a 2024 First Team All-MIVA selection while Wetzel earned a spot on the second team.

Five former Buckeyes, including legendary head coach Pete Hanson and All-American Angel Aja, were part of the fifth MIVA Hall of Fame Class. There were five total Buckeyes inducted during ceremonies last November in Columbus.

Christy Blough (2014-17) became the latest men’s volleyball athlete to be named to the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. He and 13 others were officially inducted Oct. 4, 2024.

Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, nine Buckeyes were named Academic All-MIVA while a total of 12 earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition. In addition, seven Buckeyes were named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.

Doug Beal, who played at Ohio State in 1969 and later coached the Buckeyes (1972-74) was honored by USA Volleyball with the James E. Coleman Award last May. The former USA National Team coach and administrator was honored for his service and success with Team USA.

Following a successful career in 2024, Jacob Pasteur was named a finalist for the 2024 Karch Kiraly and 2024 Dain Blanton Diversity awards. The Kiraly Award recognizes the nation’s best outside attacker while the Blanton Award honors the top player of minority ethnicity.

In 2025, Ohio State returns two of its Top 3 leaders in kills from 2024 (Wetzel-344, Young-218). Wetzel (24) and Kyle Teune (26) also were among the Top 4 in aces last year. Young led the Buckeyes in blocks with 118 while leading the MIVA in hitting percentage at .438.

New to the Ohio State roster this year are freshmen Stanislaw Chacinski (6-7/OH), Daniel Henwood Rodriguez (6-3/S), Drew Hudson (6-2/L), Ben Hutchinson (6-8/Opp), Ian Nolte (6-5/OH), and Will Sutphen (6-6/MB). Kohl Kutsch (6-4/S) also joined the Buckeyes as a transfer from Lincoln Memorial, where he starred from 2022-24.

Ohio State was the No. 3 seed in the 2024 MIVA Tournament after finishing third in the regular-season league race with an 11-5 record. The Buckeyes won their 19th overall MIVA Tournament Title with a 3-1 win over No. 4 seed Lindenwood April 20.

Ohio State has appeared in 28 MIVA Tournament title matches.

Ohio State played in the MIVA finals in consecutive seasons (2023-24) for the first time since the Buckeyes won three-consecutive titles from 2016-18. The Buckeyes defeated Ball State on the road for the 2023 championship. Ohio State has won consecutive MIVA Tournament titles 10 times its history.

In Ohio State’s last nine appearances in the MIVA Title match, the Buckeyes are 9-0 and have won 12 of the last 13 title match appearances.

Senior setter Michael Wright was named the MVP of the 2024 MIVA Tournament. He, along with senior Pasteur and Wetzel, earned spots on the 2024 All-MIVA Tournament team. Wright also won MIVA Tournament MVP in 2023.

Ohio State moved to the No. 1 spot in the weekly AVCA Coaches Poll Jan. 22, 2024. It was the first time in the top spot for the Buckeyes since Jan. 8, 2018. Ohio State started the season at No. 5 in the 2024 preseason.

Ohio State owns wins over the No. 1 ranked team in each of the last two seasons. In addition to the win over No. 1 UCLA (3-2) in 2024, the Buckeyes won at No. 1 Penn State (3-2) March 21, 2023.

Kevin Burch has a record of 78-51 over six seasons as head coach in Columbus. He earned win No. 50 on the road vs. McKendree April 1, 2023. His 100th match while coaching the Buckeyes was a 3-1 win over Daeman Jan. 7, 2024. He earned his first MIVA regular-season and tournament titles along with the first NCAA Tournament win (King) in 2023. The Buckeyes won the 2024 MIVA Tournament title in 2024 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.