From Eruwa to male athlete of the year: Michael Adedokun’s Rise at Ohio State

Jack Diwik
Thu, 03 Jul 2025 01:20:12 +0000
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Ohio State senior midfielder Michael Adedokun (17) warms up before the Big Ten tournament match against Michigan Sunday. The Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines 1-0. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

It’s no secret that Ohio State is home to one of the nation’s premier athletic departments.

During the 2024–25 season, the Buckeyes reached the pinnacle of collegiate competition in two of their flagship sports—football and women’s ice hockey—both of which competed for national championships.?

But one of the year’s most transformative stories didn’t come from a traditional powerhouse. It came from the soccer pitch.

Ohio State men’s soccer burst onto the national scene with a historic 2024 campaign, capturing the Big Ten Tournament title for the first time in 15 years, earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and advancing to the College Cup for just the second Time in program history.

Leading that charge was Michael Adedokun, a fifth-year senior transfer from Dayton, who not only anchored the Buckeyes’ turnaround but also redefined expectations for the program. He was named Ohio State’s 2025 Male Athlete of the Year, becoming a symbol of a soccer resurgence at a school where football often dominates the spotlight.

“When I won [male athlete of the year], a majority of my guys and coaches reached out to me like ‘you know football just won a national championship—that’s big time,’” Adedokun said.

Adedokun tallied 11 goals and 11 assists on the year, earning the MAC Hermann Trophy—the highest individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer—and becoming the first player in Ohio State history to receive it.

But accolades alone didn’t move Adedokun. “I don’t play for accolades, I play for the love I have for the game.”

That love for the game was the driving force behind Adedokun’s life. Raised in Eruwa, a small community in rural Nigeria, Adedokun grew up sneaking out to play soccer against his mother’s wishes. “At first, my mom didn’t want me to play. I had to sneak out. But when she finally saw me on TV, playing in a high school tournament, everything changed. That was the moment she started supporting me.”

After her passing, when he was just 15, Adedokun moved to Lagos and later earned a scholarship to play at the University of Dayton. He excelled there, but after an injury and a desire for a new challenge, he entered the portal.

“In Dayton, I was the main player, but I knew if I stayed there I wasn’t going to be the player I am supposed to be,” Adedokun said. “I just wanted to play in an environment where I can grow and become a better version of me.”

That’s when Ohio State came knocking.

The Buckeyes, who had reached the NCAA Tournament the year before, were on the verge of something special. Adedokun believed he could be the missing piece that would elevate them from contenders to a national force.

“Ohio State went to nationals the year before, and they might not be one of the best in terms of soccer, but maybe if I joined them, they would become one of the best,” Adedokun said of his decision.

His coaches quickly recognized his unique talent. While at Dayton, he was a midfield general; at Ohio State, he became a difference-maker up front. “I had to figure out how to lead differently. I wasn’t going to control the game like before. I had to be the guy who made magic happen.”

The move to Ohio State immediately paid dividends.

Adedokun was not only on pace for the best season of his career, but the team was rolling. The Buckeyes finished the regular season with only one loss and plowed through the Big Ten Tournament. They entered the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed and surged to the College Cup.

But the dream ended in heartbreak. In the national semifinal against Marshall, Ohio State fell short—a 0-1 loss that ended their title hopes but not the legacy they had built.

Still, Adedokun walked away fulfilled.

“I enjoyed playing soccer more at Ohio State because of the guys in the locker room,” Adedokun said. “At Dayton we had 12 African guys in the locker room, and at Ohio State I was the only one—but it didn’t matter where you were from, it was a brotherhood. I became a better human being.”

Even with the season ending in heartbreak, Adedokun believes the foundation has been laid for something lasting at Ohio State—a culture shift, not just a one-year surge.

“Because of the coaching and the support from athletics, it would not surprise me if they won a national championship in the next three years.”

Off the field, Adedokun’s ambitions reach far beyond goals and trophies. A proud Nigerian, he plans to return home one day to build a bakery in his hometown—a dream rooted in his desire to uplift the community that raised him.

“Back home, people pray for daily bread,” he said. “I want to build them a bakery so they can make their own.”

Now playing professionally with Lexington SC after being drafted by CF Montréal, Adedokun continues to represent Ohio State and his community with pride. And while he’s moved on from Columbus, he hasn’t moved on from the program he helped elevate.

“If I had one more year, I would stay at Ohio State,” he said. “That’s how much I love it.”