The AD's Playbook
We are charging into March with full-steam-ahead energy, excitement, and pride as we continue celebrating the many positive moments within Muskingum Athletics.
We are charging into March with full-steam-ahead energy, excitement, and pride as we continue celebrating the many positive moments within Muskingum Athletics. Where did February go? Whether our Muskies are impacting the classroom, the community, or the competition surface, this year—through fall and winter seasons—has truly been one for both the memory books and the record books. Our student-athletes and coaches continue to inspire us daily with their commitment. The energy buzzing through our halls is contagious, and we are having a blast creating and telling our story.
First and foremost—did you know it's National Athletic Training Month? I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the tremendous role our incredible Athletic Trainers play in supporting student-athlete health. As we transition out of crossover season and dive into spring sports, I want to send a huge shout-out to Athletic Trainers everywhere for the care, expertise, and unwavering support they provide at all levels. Being an Athletic Trainer is truly a calling—and we sure love ours!
Speaking of Athletic Trainers… We are still glowing from our recent Night of Impact, where we proudly inducted three extraordinary individuals into the Muskingum Athletic Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Ken Blood (27-year Athletic Trainer), Erin Zupko Witker (Softball '04), and Dean Thornton (Track and Field '09) on this prestigious honor. The evening was filled with emotion, gratitude, and love—a true Night of Impact for not only our three honorees, but for everyone in attendance.
The Muskingum Football Elite Summit—what an event! On February 28th, 106 high school football coaches from Ohio and surrounding states attended this free professional development opportunity. It was a beautiful day—both outdoors and inside the Bullock Health and Wellness Complex—and showcased the tremendous energy surrounding Muskingum Football. Our impressive lineup of speakers covered topics ranging from effective coaching and communication to culture, life lessons, self-evaluation, and football X's and O's. We wanted the attendees to feel confident that they were great coaches! What a day! I am excited to see how we can duplicate this energy around other sport coaching groups moving forward.
I also want to highlight the outstanding academic accomplishments of our student-athletes this year. Muskingum University has a remarkable ability to meet students where they are—academically and personally. Strong relationships are formed between our faculty, staff, and student-athletes, whether in the classroom, in advising sessions, or during a walk across the Academic Quad. Our professionals care deeply. One of my favorite parts of this role is witnessing the growth and development of our Muskies as they work toward earning their degrees. This semester has been packed with experiential learning opportunities, and our faculty/staff continue to play a major role in shaping the student-athlete experience. I love looking into the crowd at home events and seeing our professional cheering our Muskies to victory! From recruitment to receiving their diplomas – Muskies are surrounded by truly great people throughout the entire path!
Our commitment to service within local communities remains a high priority for our twenty-five programs. I am inspired daily by the volunteer hours our athletes devote to local schools, the canned goods collected through food drives, and the countless acts of kindness shown to neighbors and friends. Our continued partnership with the New Concord Area Arts and Recreation District—and their after-school programming—has given our athletes a powerful reminder that little eyes are always watching. It is an added bonus to see the kiddos from the elementary schools (and their families) supporting our Muskies on game day!
A huge shout-out to our winter sports teams! Men's basketball secured OAC Tournament hosting rights for the second straight season following an impressive 2025–2026 campaign. We haven't earned opening-round games in back-to-back years since the '03 and '04 tournaments. Congratulations to All-OAC junior Owen Emig for scoring his 1,000th career point! Our women's basketball squad recorded its best season since 2008–2009, and we celebrate All-OAC honoree Claudia Harrington for reaching her 1,000th point in the final game of her career. What a fun year on the hardwood!
Let's also cheer for Avrie O'Neil, newly crowned OAC Champion in the women's weight throw at the Indoor OAC Track & Field Championships. Congratulations to Elijah Kuklica on his second-place finish in the 400 meters and to Ryan Irwin for placing second in the 60-meter hurdles. In wrestling, Robert Edwards Jr. earned 2nd Team All-OAC honors—the first Muskie wrestler to do so since 2018–2019—and narrowly missed qualifying for the National Tournament. I cannot wait to see what Robert and his teammates accomplish next season.
Congrats to sophomore archer Kelly Havermale, who was named National Runner-Up at Indoor Nationals at James Madison University! On the lanes, both men's and women's bowling remain ranked in the top 20 in USBC Bowling. Lastly, the world of esports never sleeps – our student-athletes continue to battle it out in different titles and sit at 53-51 on the year!
Winter sports brought incredible joy to Muskingum, and though we always feel the emotions of senior farewells, we are eager to see what our spring programs will achieve in the final stretch of this academic year.
To our fans—thank you – but WE AREN'T DONE YET! Your support at home and on the road is a vital part of our success. Muskie Nation showed up loud and proud in the fall, returned strong in the winter, and we cannot wait to close out the year with you by our side.
I consider myself one of the lucky ones every single day. Sports are a beautiful thing—they challenge, inspire, and connect people in ways that last a lifetime. Let's continue celebrating the good—and being the good—that this world needs.
Enjoy your weekend, and Go Muskies!
Kari Winters '08/'10
Associate Vice President for Athletics
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