Ohio State Women’s Basketball
Determined, driven, and focused– three words to describe Ohio State’s graduate transfer Carly Santoro, as she has big plans for this 2018–2019 women’s basketball season.
With Ohio State losing five great seniors last season, the 5’10 guard from Bellevue, Ohio Carly Santoro, was excited to be able to come in and create a name for herself on a much bigger platform than what her previous school, Bowling Green State University had to offer. She decided to spend her final year of eligibility playing at The Ohio State University. Her decision to transfer to OSU came easy. She, along with her father and previous coaches met and spoke with the coaching staff here at OSU and made a visit to the main campus, “we felt at home and agreed that it would be the best fit for me” Santoro says. She committed to OSU in March, just days after her season ended at Bowling Green State University.
Santoro always dreamt of being a Buckeye and hoped that after her senior year of high school, that would happen. Unfortunately, she said a lot of top Division I schools stopped looking at her once she tore her ACL. That is why she committed to BGSU her first three years; they continued to recruit her throughout her injury. Santoro achieved many of her goals in three short years at BGSU, averaging 12.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steals, 16 double-doubles, seven 20-plus games, played in all 89 games and made 61 starts, all while maintaining a 3.84 GPA. She was also named the team’s Player of the Year her sophomore and junior year and a two-time MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete.
However, basketball was not the only thing that drove her into committing to OSU. She also wanted to further her education by participating in the speech-language pathology program to receive her Master’s degree in Special Education.
Santoro has big shoes to fill as she is one of six graduate students on the team this year, “I am experienced, comfortable, and determined to do anything I can to secure a win for my team every game.” She is hoping to make some noise this year by winning games, defeating the championships, and making a good run in the tournament, by incorporating her skills that she learned and took from BGSU, “I am definitely a rebounding guard and I try to make sure I defend my opponent as best as I can by driving the ball and scoring. It is a role I took on at BG and I plan to use that this year as well.”
Her transition from BGSU to OSU has been a smooth one thus far. Santoro says she is surrounded by great coaches and even better teammates. The team is working hard every day and the coaches have pushed her since day one to become the best that she can be. Although the team is full of freshmen and graduates, they don’t let that interfere with the number one common goal they all have, which is to give it their all and go out there and win. Being a graduate student on a team full of freshmen might be difficult for some to handle but this women’s basketball team has no doubt that the freshmen can contribute to the team just as much as the graduates.
Santoro has high hopes for this season and will contribute any way she can. Her goals after the season, if granted the opportunity, will head overseas where she will start her professional career. She eventually wants to come back to the states and work as a Special Education teacher.
Game Notes
OSU vs. North Carolina
1. Carmen Grande scored a game-high 23 points, had 8 rebounds, and 6 assists
2. Dorka Juhász scored 18 points and had 16 rebounds
3. Carly Santoro helped the team with 11 points and 9 rebounds
4. Makayla Waterman fouled out the game but scored 8 points and had 8 rebounds
5. Najah Queenland played more than 18 minutes, highest of anyone in the game
Trivia
1. How many girls on the team are from out of the country?
2. Where did Carly Santoro play her first three years of college basketball before transferring to OSU?