Ohio State has named their male and female athletes of the year this week. One is not a surprise, while the other is probably not a name familiar to the majority of Buckeye Nation.

Track star Christina Manning has been named the 2011-12 Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year. Manning, the 2012 Great Lakes Region Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, claimed a whopping six B1G championships in 2012. She brought home gold medals in the 60m hurdles and the 60 and 200m dashes. She set a B1G championship meet record time of 7.95 in the 60m hurdles along the way. She also claimed the NCAA national titles in the 60m hurdles.

Manning’s contributions didn’t end indoors. She had a major hand in the Buckeye’s second consecutive B1G Outdoor Title. Manning accounted for 28 points for the Buckeyes, winning the 100m hurdles, 100m dash and 4x100m relay and placing second in the 200m dash. She also brought home a National Title in the 100m hurdles.

Manning will compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100m hurdles in Eugene, Ore., later this month. She now moves on to the ballot for the Suzy Favor Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year award.

Zain Shaito, a member of the national champion Ohio State fencing team, has been named the 2011-12 Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year. As a Sophomore this year, he captured his first NCAA individual championship, which aided the Buckeyes in winning their third team NCAA championship in the past nine years.

Shaito had a team-leading 35 victories this past season and earned bronze at the 2012 Midwest Fencing Conference Championships. He is a resident of Texas, but holds dual citizenship in Lebanon, and will represent them at the 2012 London Olympics. He is now representing OSU on the ballot for the Big Ten Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year award.

Congrats to both of these athletes on their outstanding seasons!