Ohio State Dept. Of Athletics Announces Creation Of Center For Sports Intelligence & Strategy

Ohio State athletics is always fighting to stay on the cutting edge of development and advancement, and on Thursday the university announced its latest step forward with the creation of a new analytical arm known as the Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy.

Per an OSU release, the department is “designed to elevate performance and support championship-level success across its 36 varsity sports in the rapidly evolving landscape of intercollegiate athletics.”

More from the release.

The new Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy will bring together a cross-functional team of athletics department administrators dedicated to driving strategic planning, optimizing data-driven decision-making, and fostering collaboration across teams. This innovative unit will provide Ohio State coaches with access to cutting-edge analytics, strategic insights and tools designed to inform and enhance key areas such as recruiting, scheduling, resource allocation and roster construction.

“The Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy will equip our coaches with more information, context and clarity to make even better decisions,” Shaun Richard, Deputy Athletics Director said via the release. “We already have the best sports science team that equips our coaches with data on training, recovery, and performance. This unit will work in tandem with our sports scientists, as well as our business and NIL strategy teams, to give coaches additional data and actionable insights.”

Potential projects for this new Ohio State team could involve gaining a better understanding of what type of student-athlete thrives in certain sports, identifying traits and trends of high schoolers that lead to success in college, determining how best to build a roster in the Big Ten, and more.

“The intelligence and strategy we’re providing will enhance our coaches’ ability to make critical decisions by giving them the most relevant and timely information available – so they can maintain a competitive edge in every aspect of their programs,” said Richard.

The overall focus will be on identifying and fortifying competitive excellence, and then integrating that data to support long-term planning and real-time decision making for coaches.

“The Center for Sports Intelligence & Strategy reinforces Ohio State’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and leadership in the future of college athletics,” said Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director. “As the competitive landscape continues to evolve, the intelligence and strategy provided will serve as an additional resource to ensure sustained success across all 36 sports.”

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