OSU National Championships Include CCHS Alumni

The Ohio State University recently won 3 national championships in the span of a few days, and Central Catholic alumni played a part in each one of them.  

The OSU dance team won the D1A Jazz Championship at the 2025 National College Dance and Cheer Championships that were held January 17-19 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.  The team is coached by Melissa McGhee ’07, and Kara Hurst ’23 is currently a sophomore dancer on the team.  At the same event, the OSU cheer team won the Division 1A Spirit Program, and Giovanni DeSantis ’21 is a member of that team.  And of course, the Buckeye football team won the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 20 by defeating Notre Dame 34-23.  Gerren DuHart ’10 is on the OSU coaching staff as a program assistant to secondary coach Tim Walton.

We recently asked these alumni to share their national championship perspectives.

National Dance Championship - Melissa McGhee & Kara Hurst

As a student at Central Catholic, Melissa McGhee was a member of the Irish Dance Team (IDT), and she went on to coach the team after graduation.  She attended The Ohio State and was a member of the Buckeye dance team.  She was named captain and MVP her senior season and graduated with a degree in business administration.  She worked for 8 years in corporate human resources with Abercrombie & Fitch and is now the director of student-athlete development and head coach of The Ohio State dance team.

Kara Hurst was a captain of IDT at Central Catholic, and in her senior year, the team won a state championship in the Large Hip-Hop category at the OASSA State Cheer and Dance Competition.  She is currently attending Ohio State and majoring in strategic communications to pursue a career in the sports industry through marketing, public relations, or another avenue that combines her passion for communication and athletics.

Kara has been dancing since the age of 3, and she said, “It constantly pushes me to grow and be the best version of myself.  Dance challenges me both physically and mentally, requiring discipline and perseverance.  Beyond the physical aspects, it has taught me teamwork and the ability to adapt and perform under pressure.  The energy and passion I feel when I am performing is unmatched, and it fuels my drive to keep pushing my limits.”

“Winning a national championship with this team was an unforgettable experience,” Kara continued.  “It was a culmination of the countless hours of hard work, fight, resilience, and teamwork standing on that stage.  The energy and unity we felt as a team throughout the whole season made that moment even more special.  Winning a national championship is not just about the trophy, it’s about reaching our maximum potential as a team and showing the world our passion for dance.”

Kara said her time at Central Catholic and as a member of IDT played a large role in preparing her for where she is today.  “IDT pushed me to grow not only as a dancer, but in my leadership roles as well.  My senior year, I had the opportunity of being captain where I learned the importance of teamwork, accountability, and discipline.  These things have helped me navigate the first two years of college, not only as an athlete but a student as well.” 

National Cheer Championship - Giovanni DeSantis

Giovanni DeSantis played football at Central Catholic and was a member of the Glee Club.  When he was a child, his parents encouraged him to participate in an artistic activity as well, and he chose to take ballet.  After graduating from CCHS, he attended the University of Toledo and planned to be a walk-on with the football team.  Before that happened, he heard about tryouts for the UToledo cheer team, and he decided to see what it was all about.  He really enjoyed it, and he made the team.  He was cheering for the football team when the Rockets played at Ohio Stadium, and he also competed against the OSU cheer team in previous national competitions.

Due to some changes in the UToledo cheer program, and with the encouragement of a friend on the OSU team, Gio decided to transfer to Ohio State and join their cheer team.  He is a sports industry major looking to work within sports administration or in an athletic department.  He also worked as Central Catholic’s freshman football defensive coordinator and assistant strength coach and helped out with the varsity team when he could.  “I was very lucky to have a good relationship with Coach Dempsey’s staff, and they allowed me to work around my school schedule to play my role,” he explained.  

“Winning the national championship was unreal and a part of the exact reason I came to OSU,” Gio continued.  “I wanted to chase something bigger than myself and be a part of a championship-level program.  Attending Central Catholic, I learned that you not only have to want to win but put the work in to do so.  The standard is the standard, and that really helped me in my transition to OSU because we not only want to win, but we expect to.  CCHS prepared me well and I will never forget that.

“I think the success Central Catholic can give their students and athletes is evident by looking at the success of graduates as they go out into the world.  We have played a part in 3 different national championship teams, and that is a testament to what CCHS provides their students: SUCCESS!” 

College Football National Championship

Gerren DuHart played cornerback with the Fighting Irish football team and went on to play at Wayne State University.  He still ranks 2nd in school history at Wayne State in career pass break-ups with 27.  Gerren majored in media arts and studies, and he graduated in 2014.  He worked as a graduate assistant at Wayne State and at Michigan State University, and he coached cornerbacks for 3 seasons (2015-17) at CCHS under Head Coach Greg Dempsey. 

“It was great to be around so many great players and coaches who all wanted the same things that you did,” Gerren said of being involved in OSU’s championship season.  “Everybody showed up day in and day out and put the work in, and I was thankful to be a part of that ride.  Attending Central Catholic taught me discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Those were skills that I took and applied to my real and professional life.”