Ohio
A Covington track and field athlete signs with Ohio State for gymnastics
Covington senior Kerrington Baham started her love of gymnastics when she was 7, and she doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.
Baham recently signed with Ohio State for gymnastics, while fellow Covington senior Mikayla Berry signed to play Division III volleyball for SUNY Morrisville in upstate New York.
Baham was born in Mason, Ohio, but her parents moved to St. Tammany Parish when she was eight months old.
“Maybe when I was in third or fourth grade, finding out I was born in Ohio, I started having a fascination with the state. Before deciding on a college and what sport, I had made some Instagram posts before reaching out to Ohio State, and they followed my posts. That resulted in my official visit in February,” Baham said.
“I got to watch the gymnastics team practice and met with the team. About a week after I returned home, Ohio State offered me a scholarship.”
Baham took up dance at age six and started competing in gymnastics the following year, joining Northshore Gymnastics in Mandeville. She’s a member of the Flairs.
Baham continued to excel at gymnastics, becoming a state champion in the floor exercise in 2023 and the vault in 2022.
“My favorite event is the floor exercise,” Baham said. “It’s my go-to event. I consider myself a powerful gymnast, where others may be considered more graceful. I also like the vault.”
Baham also excelled in track and field, lettering all four years at Covington and receiving several Division I offers. As a junior, she won the triple jump and earned a runner-up finish in the long jump at the state meet. She qualified in both events again this year but decided not to compete as she focuses on a future gymnastics career.
Berry was also a multisport athlete, but her volleyball hustle drew the interest of SUNY Morrisville coach Fred Wallace.
“Coach Wallace said he liked my effort on video, so he contacted me, offering me a spot, saying I’m the first person he’s recruited from the South,” Berry said. “I’m so excited to become part of the program. They’re graduating some seniors, so this is an important recruiting class. Coach has set up group chats for the new players to get to know each other before arriving on campus, which has been fun.”
Lions’ first-year coach Brennon Coker said Berry showed her leadership by stepping into whatever position the team needed.
“Unfortunately, Mikayla missed a large part of her senior season with injuries,” Coker said. “She really bought into my coaching philosophy and helped take some of the younger players under her wing. She’s a good overall leader who handles everything in a positive manner.”
Berry said she’s ready for the challenge of college volleyball.
“I have always loved volleyball,” Berry said. “Six payers on the court playing together trying to achieve success is special. You must rely on your defense, the setter and the bench as a support system. It’s like being a member of one giant family. I’ll push myself, striving to continue working hard so I can have more special moments with my new college teammates.”
Ohio
Mary Lucille Young, Youngstown, Ohio
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mrs. Mary Lucille Young, 74, of Youngstown, departed this life on Friday, April 10, 2026 at her residence where God welcomed her home.
Mary, affectionately known as “Mary Lou” and “Tang”, was born March 8, 1952 in Youngstown, a daughter of Lawrence and Ada Mae Alexander Hamilton Young.
She was a proud 1971 graduate of South High School.
Mary was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church.
She attended Louis Weinberger Hill Beauty School, and was accepted as a model with Barbizon Modeling Agency.
Mary worked and retired from Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
She enjoyed looking her best, dancing, shopping, casinos and decorating her home. Mary was strong, bold and took no mess. She was loved by many people.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her pride and joy, two daughters, Adalatesha Bright and Richlynn Bright; two sons, Ja-Juan Young and Dr. Ty-Juan Bright all of Youngstown; five grandchildren; two sisters, Cynthia (Floyd) Davis, Janet (Steve) Gardner both of Youngstown; and a host of family and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Michael Lamar Young; three brothers, Isaiah, Edward, Lorenzo Young.
Private services were held at the L.E. Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille Young, please visit our floral store.
Ohio
NWSL announces expansion to Columbus, Ohio
The NWSL is once again expanding, this time the league is heading to Ohio where Columbus NWSL 2028 will take the field. Of course, Columbus NWSL 2028 is a placeholder for now and the the new team will unveil its name, crest, and uniform to build an identity around as it approaches its first season.
News of the club was announced yesterday, though this has been in the works for some time, in a press conference. Team owners, the Haslam Sports Group (HSG), Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards, spoke about what they hope the club will bring to Columbus and women’s soccer more broadly.
“Our family is thrilled to help bring an NWSL team to Columbus and further invest in Ohio, with the honor of bringing the 18th team into the league,” said Haslam Sports Group Managing Partner Whitney Haslam Johnson. “We believe in the power of women’s sports and are humbled to be part of the number one women’s soccer league in the world.”
Nationwide insurance has been a corporate partner in both NWSL and MLS for years and now joins an ownership group deepening those ties. “Today’s announcement is about inspiring young athletes across Central Ohio, elevating women’s professional sports and reminding the world that Columbus is a first-class sports city,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide Chief Executive Officer. “As Nationwide marks 100 years, this is a powerful way to celebrate our milestone with the community that has been our home from the very beginning.”
The Edwards family has deep roots in the Columbus soccer scene with Dr. Pete Edwards serving as team doctor for the Crew in 1996 and the family joining the team’s ownership in 2019 during the Save The Crew effort. “Columbus is very important to our family. For over 30 years, we’ve supported the Columbus Crew and MLS. We’ve seen how a men’s professional soccer team has brought people together and created a positive impact in our community. It’s truly special to now welcome an NWSL club and the incredible women athletes who will also uplift our city on and off the pitch,” said Dr. Christine Edwards. “We’re very excited to partner with Haslam Sports Group and Nationwide for NWSL Columbus 2028, and we can’t wait to share even more memorable moments with fans, especially during the Club’s first game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.”
The NWSL has continued its expansion with the announcement and the team will join Atlanta in its inaugural season in two years.
Ohio
Ex-Ohio State president Ted Carter’s girlfriend would sneak through campus garage to get to his office, report reveals
Disgraced ex-Ohio State President Ted Carter repeatedly snuck his alleged failing podcaster lover through a campus garage for secret visits to his office as he funneled university resources into her business ventures, a shocking new report claims.
The report into the circumstances behind Carter’s abrupt exit from his cushy $1.5 million-a-year role last month detailed his secret office rendezvous with Krisanthe Vlachos, host of “The Callout Podcast,” and at least five trips he took with her.
The duo jetted off to Richmond, Virginia; Orlando, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Las Vegas – with the married 66-year-old allegedly cooking up a fake business excuse for one trip, the report released Tuesday by the college found.
One social media post showed the pair at a Colorado Springs conference in January, with the ex-prez smiling next to Vlachos, who is clad in an all-black leather getup.
Carter – married to Lynda Carter for nearly 45 years – admitted giving Vlachos “inappropriate access” to university leadership and public resources to boost her private business when he voluntarily resigned.
The probe found he tapped at least 14 staffers to help his purported paramour, who hosted a veteran-focused podcast, including efforts to score her a university job, campus space, support staff, and financial backing from the school and outside agencies like JobsOhio for different business ventures.
“Carter’s actions betrayed Ohio State’s shared values and violated university policy,” the 47-page report said, adding his “wide-ranging” efforts dragged on for almost two years.
“Carter had a close personal and business relationship with Vlachos and he allowed that relationship to improperly influence his actions and impair his judgement.”
JobsOhio shelled out $60,000 to the prexy’s reported flame to produce four podcast episodes about veteran issues – though only one was completed, the agency said last month.
The company, which said its decision to invest was driven by Carter’s recommendation, is now trying to “clawback” the funds after all of Vlacho’s poorly performing podcast episodes were hastily removed from YouTube and other streamers when the scandal erupted.
Carter – who served as a Top Gun pilot and instructor during 38 years in the Navy – admitted in one episode he was a “frequent flyer” on the floundering show, appearing as a guest at least nine times since 2024.
JobsOhio also dished out $10,000 to sponsor a January 2025 event for vets and military families at Ohio State, calling it an “opportunity that Ms. Vlachos brought our attention.”
The agency’s handouts for Vlachos came to an end after she requested a $2.9 million investment in her proposed mobile app, which aimed to help Ohio veterans get jobs.
An Ohio State spokesman previously confirmed officials were investigating an LLC registered to Vlachos at a university-owned building, in connection with the ex-leader’s departure.
Carter and Vlachos have not responded publicly to the relationship allegations.
With Post wires.
-
Finance3 minutes agoAuto Finance Capital Summit | Insights | Mayer Brown
-
Fitness9 minutes agoAt 50, Hrithik Roshan’s ex-wife Sussanne sets fitness goals with challenging Pilates exercise
-
Movie Reviews21 minutes ago‘Madhuvidhu’ movie review: A light-hearted film that squanders a promising conflict
-
World33 minutes agoGoogle puts AI agents at heart of its enterprise money-making push
-
News39 minutes agoSenate Adopts GOP Budget, Laying the Groundwork to Fund ICE and Reopen DHS
-
Politics45 minutes agoU.S. Seizes Second Tanker Carrying Iranian Oil
-
Business51 minutes agoHow We Cover the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
-
Science57 minutes agoRFK Jr. Says His Department Advises All Children to Get Measles Vaccine