Fall sports are coming to a close at Ohio Northern University. The Polar Bears faced a range of tough competitors these past few months and persevered to climb the Ohio Athletic Conference’s (OAC) rankings. Each team concluded their postseason campaign strong as the holiday season approached.
Check out the past month’s most memorable sports moments on campus.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team remained undefeated in the regular season for the first time in ONU history with a streak of 19 matches. The regular season’s success carried through to the OAC playoffs, and the team worked its way up to the championship round.
Otterbein University proved to be a formidable opponent in the OAC Championship. The two teams were evenly matched and put each other’s skills to the test. The game remained scoreless, and both competitors fought to gain the advantage through two overtime periods. Ultimately, the game advanced to penalty kicks, where the Polar Bears lost 5-4.
Football
The football team’s last home game was one of the most thrilling matchups of the season. The Polar Bears faced a challenge as they prepared to play No. 22 Baldwin Wallace University (BWU). A transformative season and packed stadium was all the team needed to keep up with its opponent. A BWU pass was intercepted by defensive back Jacob Hershberger with less than five minutes in the game, and linebacker Kolten Berner recovered a fumble with 1:46 remaining. The team ran out the clock to finish the game 30-28, prompting roars of cheer from the crowd.
The 2025 season was not over yet for the Polar Bears. Ohio Northern defeated Otterbein the following week and secured a spot at the ForeverLawn Bowl—the team’s first postseason appearance in ten years. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, hosted the game against Wabash College. The game was close, but ended with a 32-31 loss on a two-point conversion. The season is complete for the Polar Bears, but it marks the beginning of a new era for the football program.
Volleyball
The volleyball team only hosted one opponent on their home court this past month: Wittenberg. Their players came into the ONU Sports Center ready to fight and dominated the Polar Bears 25-14 in the first set. Fueled by the previous loss, Ohio Northern’s team came back to earn a 25-13 win in the next set. The victory demonstrated the Polar Bears’ determination to overcome challenges despite falling in the following two sets.
Wittenberg’s victory did not prevent the Polar Bears from entering the OAC Tournament. The team qualified as the No. 5 seed and advanced to the semifinals where it fell 3-1 to Marietta.
Takeaways
It is impossible to predict how a sports season is going to end. What can be controlled is the way a team evolves and improves throughout the season to face each challenge with resilience. The Thanksgiving holiday reminds student-athletes to celebrate the victories they earned and express gratitude towards the team who supported them.
