Ohio
In-state Back/Fly Specialist Cooper Burt Verbally Commits to Ohio State (2025)
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Cooper Burt has verbally committed to swim and study at The Ohio State University beginning in the 2025-26 school year. He wrote on social media:
“I’m extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to THE Ohio State University where I will continue my academic and athletic career. I would like to thank my family for all they have done to help me get to this point. I also want to thank my coaches Chris McKinney, and Alex Muni, for all they have done for me over the years. I have dreamed of this since I was little and can not thank Coach Wright, Coach Hulme, and Coach Dorenkott and the rest of the coaching staff enough for this amazing opportunity. GO BUCKS! 🅾️🌰”
Burt is from from Okeana, Ohio, near the Indiana border. He is wrapping up his junior year at Ross High School in Hamilton, Ohio, and he does his club swimming with the Miami University Makos in Oxford, Ohio, where he trains under head coach Chris McKinney. He is a U.S. Open qualifier in both the 100 back and 200 back.
Burt placed 3rd in the 100 back (49.16) and 4th in the 100 fly (49.65) at the 2024 OHSSA Division I Championships. He also led off both the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay, going best times in the 50 back (23.34) and 100 free (47.70). He was the first swimmer from Ross High School to make the Ohio State Division 1 state meet in an individual event; he has qualified for the meet and made the podium in each of his three prep seasons.
At 2023 Winter Juniors East, he earned lifetime bests in all three of his events (100/200 back and 100 fly). He also clocked a PB in the 200 free in time trials. In March, he went best times in the 100 free, 200 back, and 50/100/200 fly at the Tim Myers Senior Short Course Championships. A couple weeks later, he kicked off 2024 long course season at Indy Sectionals with PBs in the 50 free (25.94), 100 free (55.48), 50 back (27.39), 100 back (57.69), 200 back (2:04.90), 100 fly (57.20), and 200 fly (2:12.52).
Ohio State was always Burt’s number one choice – he has been going to OSU football games his entire life and his family are big OSU fans. His mother, Shawn Burt, is a former swimmer who graduated from The Ohio State University in 1998. She coaches middle school swimming at Ross.
Burt will join the Buckeyes in the fall of 2025. His best SCY times include:
- 100 back – 49.00
- 200 back – 1:47.00
- 100 fly – 49.64
- 200 fly – 1:52.92
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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.
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