Ohio State football players participate in “Fall Kickoff 3.0”, mass baptism follows at event held on campus Monday

Carson Hinzman stood onstage with a microphone, looking into a sea of hundreds of students, parents and teammates.?

Ohio State’s fifth-year center on the football team shared how he grew up in a small western Wisconsin farming community. He said he regularly attended church with his family, but struggled to find God’s meaning in his life.

Hinzman said his belief changed as he prepared for a larger role on the team entering his sophomore year, in which he hadn’t played a snap as a freshman.

“At that time, I tried to put all the pressure on myself and say, ‘Well, I have so many people back home I want to do good for, I have so many people here I want to do good for,’” Hinzman said. “I felt that my validation came through what I did in my sport.”

Early that spring, Hinzman said he called his father in tears from his dorm, questioning whether he belonged at Ohio State. Hinzman said his father encouraged him to pray, a moment which ultimately impacted his stance on religion.?

“I just cried and praised the Lord,” Hinzman said. “‘I don’t know what to do anymore, I have no other way to go. I feel like I’m just an embarrassment. I feel like I can’t do this right. I shouldn’t be here.’”

After praying, Hinzman said he felt at peace. He then went on to earn a starting role on the team the following season.?

Hinzman’s testimony was one of six given by student-athletes at the “Fall Kickoff: an Invitation to Jesus” on College Green Park in the courtyard by Curl Market to spread the Christian gospel from 6 to 9 p.m. Other football players Beau Atkinson, TJ Alford and Epi Sitanilei, field hockey player Katie Fichtner and dance team member Chloe Cerreto all shared their testimonies at the event.?

It marked the third consecutive year that the event was held. The first was held Aug. 25, 2024, when former Buckeyes Gee Scott Jr., Kamryn Babb, who were at the event Monday, TreyVeon Henderson, JT Tuimoloau and Emeka Egbuka each spoke, per prior Lantern reporting.

The event began with worship music as the crowd raised their palms in the air and sang along, and former football players Master Teague III, Scott and Babb joined the band on stage welcoming the crowd.

“Just for two hours, three hours, however [long] we’re here for, just put [all stressors] to the side,” Babb said. “And I promise you, He wants to meet you. So if you just give him your heart, you’ll be so surprised on what He can do.”

All three events, including Monday, were followed by baptisms, from anyone who wanted to participate.?

Anna Kain is a first-year in exercise science education and member of Cru, one of the Ohio State campus ministries represented at the event.

Kain stood with a white towel over her shoulders with tears rolling down her face moments after she was baptized.?

“College is a big, big step in life and it has been very different for me here, obviously and my religion has grew because it has been so difficult and different,” Kain said. “I feel like getting baptized would grow the religion more.”

One “prayer volunteer” for the event, current member of 614 College Ministry and first-year in religious studies, Angelina Ferraro, said she originally did not want to attend Ohio State but it was through the faith of the members on the Ohio State football team that drew her to campus.?

“I was like, wait, ‘Okay, God, I could see maybe some potential happening,’ but I would have no idea that I would be helping the football team with the event this year,” Ferraro said. “So it’s just a full circle moment.”

Nolan McKendry, second-year in actuarial science, said he has joined Cru as a first-year and attended the 2025 Fall Kickoff. He decided to get baptized Monday and shared how much it meant to him to go through with it.?

“When going under the water like it just brought tears upon me, I really just felt it in my heart I just felt the spirit, the presence of Him, and I was just so excited to be able to proclaim Jesus as my Savior and show that to others,” McKendry said.

Ferraro said the event is one of a kind because of the way it makes people feel.?

“It’s just so inspiring, and I think that just being here is very heartfelt,” Ferraro said. “You just have this refreshing [mentality] of ‘Oh! I don’t have to put on a show. I can let the stress of class go away and I can just be in the moment.’”