'Born to Coach': Jake Diebler's Journey Small-Town Ohio to Columbus
Becoming the head coach of the team you were a fan of growing up might be the dream.
It certainly was for newly hired head coach Jake Diebler — a Gibsonburg, Ohio, native who grew up cheering for the Buckeyes.
“Growing up, you have dreams, and you never fully get to predict if or when those dreams will come true,” Diebler said at his introductory press conference Monday.
Diebler attended Fostoria High School his first three years, playing under father and head coach Keith Diebler.
In his senior year in 2005, however, he transferred to Upper Sandusky High School with his brother Jon Diebler and father as a coach, where he won a Division II State title.
“I got into coaching because the most influential people in my life were coaches,” Diebler said.
Diebler said that his best memories have come at Value City Arena: first winning his high school title there, then both meeting and getting engaged to his wife Jordyn Diebler.
Although Diebler didn’t attend Ohio State, he ended up playing at Valparaiso where he started every game he played his last three years. He was known as a very good 3-point shooter, shooting the ball at a 35.3 percent clip from downtown in his career.
Incoming athletic director Ross Bjork said Monday that Diebler fits characteristics relatable to Ohio State, notably: leadership, a good fit for the Buckeyes, relatability and excellence.
“This is a calling for Jake Diebler," Bjork said. "Ohio native, son of a coach.… Hard work defines Jake Diebler. He played the game at a high level."
Since taking over as interim head coach, Diebler's Buckeyes upset then-No. 2 Purdue in his first game and won at Michigan State and Rutgers. In addition, Ohio State upset seven-seed Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament second round before losing to eventual champion Illinois in the quarterfinals.
Before accepting the Ohio State position, Diebler had been an assistant with the Buckeyes since 2019. He also held assistant coaching positions at his alma mater Valparaiso and Vanderbilt.
Bjork added that he was “born to coach” because of his relatability to the program through his family, most notably his brother Jon, who played at Ohio State from 2007-2011.
Buckeye fans can hope Bjork and Diebler stick to this commitment in future seasons.
But for now, Ohio State’s focus will turn to Tuesday’s game at Value City Arena — the first round of the National Invitation Tournament — where the No. 2-seeded Buckeyes host Cornell at 7 p.m., streaming on ESPN2.
