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Ohio State Mens Volleyball (2011, 2016, 2017 National Champions)

Walk-on to national champion: Sanil Thomas reflects on Ohio State career

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Sanil Thomas seemed to fall into Pete Hanson’s lap.

In spring 2015, the Ohio State head coach was in Chicago watching top recruit Jake Hanes play in a tournament for Ultimate Volleyball Club, the same club Thomas played for. While Hanson was watching Hanes, Keith Kujawa, the club’s assistant director, came over and tapped him on the shoulder.

“He said, ‘There’s this kid whose dream is to play volleyball at Ohio State. Will you come watch him?’” Hanson said. “So I walked over there, and the coach pointed Sanil out, and after a little while I was like, ‘Hey, this kid can really play volleyball.’”

Hanson’s attendance made Thomas curious.

“I saw a guy with an Ohio State jacket and everything, and I was just like, ‘This is interesting,’” Thomas said. “‘This might be my shot.’”

As Thomas was leaving the facilities after the tournament concluded, he received a voicemail from his coach informing him to return to the court immediately. Thomas called him back curiously and his coach gave him some good news.

“He was just like, ‘How would you like to be a Buckeye?’” Thomas said. “I said, ‘I think I’d like that very much.’”

Since that point, Thomas has continued the legacy of the Ohio State setters before him.

As a three-time scholar-athlete, 2018 First Team All-Conference member and two-time national champion, most people are unaware that what perhaps best defines Thomas’ decorated Ohio State career: He was a walk-on.

As a high school senior, Thomas wasn’t receiving the recruiting buzz he would’ve liked.

“My journey here wasn’t very conventional,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t really heavily touted or heavily recruited or anything like that.”

His plan was to walk onto a team, whichever one would give him a chance, and Ohio State was No. 1 on his list. He’d applied and been accepted to the Fisher College of Business but hadn’t been able to earn any interest from the men’s volleyball program.

He finally gained interest after that day in Chicago, beginning his Ohio State journey the next season.

Thomas began his career as a Buckeye on the bench for two seasons, playing backup for junior setter Christy Blough, who totaled 1,232 assists during the 2016 championship season. Blough finished his career with 4,280 assists, ranking No. 5 in program history.

With Blough in front of him, Thomas never expected to touch the court.

“When I first came, I was bottom of the barrel, just kind of doing whatever, whatever role I needed to help with the team,” Thomas said.

Entire article: https://www.thelantern.com/2019/04/...n-sanil-thomas-reflects-on-ohio-state-career/
 
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KEVIN BURCH PROMOTED TO OHIO STATE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH
Colin Hass-Hill on May 21, 2019 at 9:47 am @chasshill
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Credit: Ohio State Athletics

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For the first time since 1984, more than a decade before anyone currently on the team was born, Ohio State will have a new men's volleyball coach.

Pete Hanson, a three-time national champion and 18-time conference champion, announced his retirement on April 18, and Kevin Burch was named his successor on Tuesday.

The past three seasons, Burch was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Buckeyes. He graduated from Ohio State in 2011 and began his career as a volunteer assistant coach with the program from 2009 to 2011.

KEVIN BURCH AS A COACH
YEAR TEAM DUTY
2009-11 Ohio State men's volleyball Volunteer Assistant Coach
2010 Columbus State women's volleyball Head Coach
2012 Springfield men’s volleyball Assistant Coach
2013 UC Irvine men’s volleyball Assistant Coach
2014 Springfield men’s volleyball Assistant Coach
2014 Penn State women’s volleyball Director of Operations
2016-19 Ohio State men's volleyball Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
2020- Ohio State men's volleyball Head Coach

Burch becomes the ninth head coach in program history.

“Thank you to Gene Smith, Janine Oman and the entire Ohio State athletics leadership council for granting me the privilege of guiding our men’s volleyball program,” Burch said in a statement. “I’m honored and grateful to be presented this responsibility at an institution that is dear to my heart. The Ohio State University and this men’s volleyball team are special. The staunch support of our athletics administration, the history of this program’s success, and recent completion of the Covelli Center combine to make this truly the best program in the country.”

In between his stints at Ohio State, Burch worked as an assistant coach a Springfield and UC Irvine, and he was the director of operations for Penn State. He also was Columbus State's head coach in 2010.

Burch has won seven national championships as a coach. He was on the staff for all of Hanson's titles – in 2011, 2016 and 2017.

“Kevin Burch has constructed a blueprint for the men’s volleyball program built on the same pillars and goals utilized as the foundation to our strategic plan,” deputy athletic director Janine Oman said in a statement. “He has demonstrated a commitment to our eight stated values as an athletics & business advancement department – integrity, education, people, excellence, respect, innovation, community and tradition.”

While working under Hanson the past three years, Burch landed a number of high-level recruits, including eight AVCA high school All-Americans and two senior national team members.

“Guidance from exceptional mentors has been integral in my development as a leader,” Burch said in a statement. “I would not be the coach, husband, son or man I am today without the influence of Coach Hanson. He has touched the lives of hundreds associated with OSU men’s volleyball, and none more than mine. My gratitude for him is boundless. I look forward to continuing his tradition of molding the young men currently in the program and further connecting with our many great alumni. I’d also like to thank my wife, Kelly, for her unwavering support. She pushes me to be better every single day and has had my back every step of the way.”


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...iQvNmSbyeM2bLxzHR-XE7dIy89pG4m_kj6XcjbjeiRvYM
 
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