February was a bittersweet month for the Polar Bears. The transition from winter to spring athletics has been long awaited, but the collegiate careers of senior athletes are slowly coming to an end. The past month was full of wins for students both ending their college journey or forging new paths in Polar Bear athletics.
Let’s take a look at February’s most memorable home events.
Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse
The lacrosse season has officially begun for the Polar Bears. Weeks of conditioning and training have led to competitive games against regional universities.
The men’s lacrosse program has big shoes to fill after winning its first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championship last year. Athletes began the 2026 season at Dial-Roberson Stadium with a 10-4 victory against Chatham University. Cheers from friends and family echoed across the field in celebration of a memorable home-opener. The 7-6 loss to Trine University later in the month highlights focus points for the team to improve on as they prepare for the OAC Conference matchups beginning in late March.
February was filled with home-game victories for the women’s team. The Polar Bears opened with an impressive 16-5 win against Albion College with senior Elena Martin bringing in five goals alone. Collaboration and unity continued to thrive the following week in a matchup with Wittenberg University where the team finished 15-3. Chatham was the last opponent the team faced on their home turf in February and proved to be the most challenging. The game went into overtime, and senior Emma Hoersten scored the game-winning point with 1:48 on the clock.
Wrestling
Ohio Northern hosted the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III regional championship in the Sports Center fieldhouse. Twenty schools visited Ada to participate in a two-day tournament for men’s wrestling. The top athletes in each weight class received bids to the NCAA III Championships in Iowa.
The Polar Bears finished the tournament in third place and will send six athletes to the championships. Among them is nationally ranked No. 13 Myles Johnson, who was named Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Basketball season may be over, but the Polar Bears did not go down without a fight. Both teams advanced to semifinal rounds of the OAC Championship and ultimately fell to rival teams.
The men’s season concluded with a series of riveting home games. A tight battle against Otterbein University resulted in a 54-53 win for the Polar Bears thanks to sophomore Conye Gaston scoring with seven seconds left in the game. Fast-forward to the OAC quarterfinals a week later, and the Sports Center was packed with Polar Bear fans anticipating another formidable opponent: Wilmington. Neither team led by more than five points during the first half of the game. The teams appeared evenly matched until a series of Wilmington mistakes led the Polar Bears to finish the game 88-69 on a 14-0 run. Cheers of excitement and relief poured from the crowd as the stressful matchup came to conclusion.
The women’s team hosted its final home game surrounded by friends and family. Four upperclassmen were celebrated on Senior Day prior to a game against Marietta College. The joyous festivities paired with sheer determination earned the Polar Bears a 77-73 win and a ticket to the OAC Tournament.
Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving
February’s honorable mention goes to the swimming and diving teams for their achievements at the OAC Championship. Athletes competed in a four-day meet to bring home multiple awards, including Co-OAC Men’s Coaching Staff of the Year honors, several All-Conference selections and a third-place finish for the women. The men’s team followed up its undefeated regular season by securing the OAC Championship title.
Takeaways
The past month was filled with memorable sports moments to be cherished by athletes long after they graduate. Championship titles, conference honors, and shocking last-minute victories make the winter sports season unforgettable and evoke anticipation for spring athletics.
Conye Gaston (23) reaches past Wilmington’s defense in an attempt to shoot the ball (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
The women’s lacrosse team celebrates a goal scored by senior Emma Hoersten (11) in a close game against Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Ohio Northern’s bench erupts in cheers as Conye Gaston scores the game-winning point against Otterbein with seven seconds left in the game (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Cooper Mulligan (2) advances down the field in a victorious matchup against Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Fellow student-athlete Gage Foster cheers on the men’s basketball team from the Polar Pit during the quarterfinals game against Wilmington (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
The men’s basketball team celebrate a 88-69 victory against Wilmington in the OAC tournament quarterfinals (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Jaxsyn Murdock is cheered onto the field by her teammates before a victorious match against Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Long-Stick Midfielder Ryan Frech (31) in a victorious match against Chatham University (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
The Polar Pit falls quiet as students wait to see if Conye Gaston (23) makes a three-pointer in the victorious quarterfinal against Wilmington (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Chris Ballentine (16) and assistant men’s lacrosse coach Andrew Reimer celebrate on the bench as the Polar Bears continue to score against Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Athletics director Tom Simmons and men’s basketball head coach Jon Tropf embrace as Ohio Northern defeats Otterbein in an intense game (ONU Sports Information/Evelyn Megery) 
Elena Martin (8) faces Albion defenders as she makes her way down the field in a 16-5 game (ONU Sports Information/Evelyn Megery) 
Shock sweeps through the Polar Pit as Conye Gaston scores the game-winning point against Otterbein with seven seconds left in the game (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Landon Laney (11) celebrates a scored point with his teammates in a game against Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Mason Studer (left) and Will Miller (right) congratulate each other as the game buzzer goes off and the Polar Bears claim victory over Wilmington in the quarterfinals (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Defender Tori Wiece (10) moves the ball downfield before passing it to her teammates in a match versus Chatham (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery) 
Ohio Northern’s cheerleading squad invites a student from the Polar Pit to join them in a chant during a timeout at the men’s basketball game versus Wilmington (ONU Sports Information Photo/Evelyn Megery)