When Kirin Kumar accepted the head coaching position at Ohio State last season, she had one goal in mind: bring a Women’s College World Series title to Columbus. In her first season at the helm, Kumar guided the Buckeyes back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022, as her doubles-first philosophy reshaped Ohio State into the nation’s highest-scoring offense. Nine games into this season, that standard hasn’t wavered. Even after losing four starters from last year’s lineup, the Buckeyes are still built around driving the gaps and positioning themselves to contend for a national championship in June. Read more at thelantern.com thelantern.com/2026/02/ohio-state-softball-embracing-new-look-lineup-under-kirin-kumars-championship-vision 📸: Sandra Fu | Managing Photo Editor ✍️: Dylan Buganski | Lantern Reporter