Ohio State named Jake Diebler its long-term men’s head basketball coach on Sunday. He made it official alongside his players.
The school’s future athletic director, Ross Bjork, gathered the team to announce Diebler’s hiring. Diebler signed his five-year contract after players enthusiastically cheered the news.
Ohio State filmed the touching moment and posted it on social media:
The moment we made it official with Head Coach @JakeDiebler 🖊️
Hear @RossBjorkAD and @JakeDiebler address the team this afternoon to announce the news.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9J7iraFEWQ
— Ohio State Hoops 🌰 (@OhioStateHoops) March 17, 2024
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Diebler led the Buckeyes to a 6-2 record after replacing Chris Holtmann last month. He started a late-season turnaround with a monumental victory over Purdue.
The Buckeyes also snapped a 420-day road losing streak when beating Michigan State at the Breslin Center.
Bjork praised Diebler as the right man for the job and told the team he’s elevating expectations for the program to achieve its championship goals.
“There’s no better person,” Bjork said. “Ohio native. Knows recruiting. Relates to you guys. Has the personal connections. And I’m just going to tell you right now, too: It’s not going to be the same. We have to take the standard up.”
Diebler tried to contain his emotions when addressing his team.
“You know me, and you know what this place means to me,” Diebler told his players. “You know how much I love it here. You know how much I want to win a championship here.
“From the absolute bottom of my heart, each and every one of you, thank you. This is a blessing. This is my dream. … This is a day I’ll never, ever forget.”