Matt Kawamoto

Classroom

A Business: Marketing and Logistics Management major, Kawamoto is scheduled to graduate this spring. He has earned Dean’s List honors, as well as Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten accolades. He plans to work in supply-chain management or advertising following graduation and has completed internships with both the U.S. Department of Transportation and an insurance company to help prepare him for life after college.

Character

Kawamoto was selected as a team captain for the 2011-12 campaign in a vote by his teammates as they look for him to help lead the Buckeyes, especially on the defensive end, throughout the year. He is an energizing and vocal leader who commands respect from his teammates with his contagious passion for the game. His coaches mention Kawamoto’s intensity and communication and his role as a player who will always be there for his teammates. Kawamoto’s character was recognized when he was named the recipient of the Michael R. Breschi Memorial Scholarship for 2011-12. The scholarship, created in memory of Michael Breschi, the son of former Ohio State men’s lacrosse coach Joe Breschi and his wife, Julie, is given annually to an Ohio State senior lacrosse player who best exemplifies the spirit of Michael, including an infectious personality, energy and joy both for the game of lacrosse and life. Kawamoto has had to depend on his character to preserve through serious injuries during his time at Ohio State. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury early in his junior season that required surgery and he worked hard to rehab and get back on the field the next year with Nick Myers, the Buckeyes’ head coach, noting he came back in the best shape of his career. Kawamoto suffered an injury during this past fall that required surgery but he is working hard every day to get back on the field when the regular season begins.

Community

Kawamoto and the lacrosse team are active in the community throughout the year and contributed more than 600 hours as a group during the 2010-11 school year. Kawamoto has volunteered with a number of organizations throughout his time at Ohio State. Among the groups he has worked with are Friends of Jaclyn, the 2nd and 7 Foundation, the New Albany Youth Lacrosse Classic, Heritage House (nursing home), Habitat for Humanity Restore and at Ohio State’s youth player clinics.

Competition

Kawamoto was the 2011 ECAC Lacrosse League Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection. He was a USILA honorable-mention All-American in 2011 and has been named a third-team preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse, as well a preseason All-ECAC selection, entering the 2012 campaign. He was also named preseason All-ECAC by the conference coaches. Kawamoto was a second-team All-Great Western Lacrosse League selection as a sophomore in 2009 before missing nearly all of 2010 with an injury. He has played in 47 games at Ohio State and has 63 groundballs and 29 caused turnovers and scored his first career goal at Bellarmine April 30, 2011. As a junior last year, he played in 15 games and recorded 32 groundballs and 14 caused turnovers. He has been a starter on the Buckeye defense since his sophomore campaign.