Jon Husted

WASHINGTON, D. C. - Four Denison University championship teams visited the White House Tuesday to meet with President Trump, then headed to the U.S. Capitol, where U.S. Sen. Jon Husted honored them in a Senate floor speech.

The Big Red won NCAA Division III national titles in baseball, men’s swimming and diving, men’s doubles tennis and women’s basketball during the 2025-26 academic year.

“In the 2025-26 academic year, Denison student-athletes delivered one of the most successful seasons in school history, capturing four - heard that right - four NCAA Division III national titles and bringing great pride to the university community, alumni, and entire state of Ohio,” Husted said in his speech.

The baseball team capped its season with a 51-3 record and the program’s first national championship, beating Endicott College in a three-game series that ended on a 10th-inning walk-off in Game Three under coach Mike Deegan. Cade Nowik was named the tournament’s outstanding player after a postseason that included a three-home run, seven-RBI game, said Husted.

The men’s swimming and diving team won its second straight national title and seventh in program history, finishing with 437 points, nearly 49 points ahead of the runner-up, said Husted, a Columbus-area Republican.

Coach Gregg Parini was named Coach of the Year, first-year diving coach Kai Robinson was named Diving Coach of the Year and swimmers Jack Hill and Nick Fogle were named Swimmer and Diver of the Year, Husted recounted in his speech.

In men’s doubles tennis, Ethan Green and Kael Shah won the program’s first national championship with a 24-6 record, said Husted.

Women’s basketball finished 30-2 and won the program’s first national title, beating the University of Scranton 55-41 under coach Maureen Hirt, Husted added.

“You don’t win national championship games 55-41 without being dominant as a defensive team,” Husted said.

Husted, who won a Division III national championship in football at the University of Dayton, said the achievement reflects sacrifice that extends beyond athletics and will serve the student-athletes well beyond their playing days.

“They will be winners for their family. They will be winners for their community,” Husted said. “They will be winners for their state and winners for their nation.”

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