Matt Gold
- School
- Ohio State University
- Position
- Midfielder
- Major
- Mechanical Engineering
- G
- 0
- A
- 1
- PTS
- 1
Classroom
Despite his realistic aspirations of a professional soccer career after graduation, Matt Gold is as dedicated to success in the classroom as he is on the field. Gold is a two-time All-Big Ten Academic selection and an Ohio State Scholar-Athlete. He maintains a GPA above 3.0 in mechanical engineering.
Character
After being the first junior selected captain under coach John Bluem, Ohio State honored Gold with the Linda Daniel Most Inspirational Award, given in memory of an OSU athletic trainer who lost her battle with cancer. Gold prepared for his second season as captain of the defending Big Ten champions by working doubly hard after undergoing foot surgery and rehab in the offseason.
Community
Gold is involved with a plethora of community service projects. In the last year, he helped rally team members to participate in the “Light the Night” walk, a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in honor of sophomore goalkeeper Matt Lampson, who is a lymphoma survivor. He was also active with the Life Sports program and, most recently, the Operation Military Kids Hero Camp. Sponsored by the OSU Department of Athletics, Ohio State University Extension, its Ohio 4-H program and the Ohio National Guard, Gold and other student-athletes and coaches welcomed approximately 65 children from service families for a full schedule of sports activities. In addition, Gold is involved in the campus chapter of Athletes in Action and routinely participates in outreach, retreats and other AIA activities.
Competition
While he doesn’t generate a lot of statistics, Gold is among the nation’s best at his defensive midfield position and he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2009. Last season Gold anchored a stellar Ohio State defense that allowed the fewest goals of any school in the Big Ten (16; 0.74 goals against average) and posted 10 shutouts. Gold was key to last season’s Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships, and also contributed to the Buckeyes’ 2007 appearance in the national championship game.
