When Ohio State volleyball coaches Geoff Carlston and Don Gromala came to The Convo Saturday, they were no strangers to the man seated on the opposite bench. In fact, that man, Ohio coach Ryan Theis, welcomed them.
The Bobcats’ spring-season opener with the Buckeyes was not just a scrimmage but also a reunion between longtime friends.
Before accepting the head coaching position at Ohio State, Carlston spent five years at Ohio and led the Bobcats to five NCAA tournaments and five-consecutive Mid-American Conference championships. He posted an overall record of 144-22 and earned the honors of MAC Coach of the Year for four straight seasons.
“I have a lot of respect for everything he did at Ohio and everything he’s doing at Ohio State,” Theis said. “He’s a good coach and a good guy.”
Theis said his relationship with Carlston started about seven or eight years ago through a mutual friend. While Carlston was at Ohio, he and Theis roomed together on a recruiting trip and their friendship grew.
Carlston and Theis developed a bond that led Theis to ask a favor of his predecessor.
“When (Carlston) was leaving, I gave him a call and asked what they were doing with the position and if he wouldn’t mind giving my name as a person who was interested,” Theis said. “I think he kind of helped me get my foot in the door at Ohio.”
But Carlston wasn’t the only Bobcat to leave for Columbus. Gromala, formerly an assistant at Ohio and a friend of Theis, is also helping out with the Buckeyes.
“Don and I played against each other in college, and so we have been pretty good friends for 15 years,” Theis said.
Ohio had a recruit on campus, so there was not much time to reminisce Saturday. Instead, Theis talked to Gromala before the match and met Carlston at the net after the match to discuss plans for that night.
Though Theis values his relationship with Carlston and Gromala, his bond does not erase the fact that his team often competes with Ohio State during the off-season.
“It’s a little bit of a rivalry,” Theis said. “Obviously we have some recruiting battles here and there.”
During the season, Theis said he does not talk much with the Buckeyes unless it is to discuss a common opponent.
Last year, Ohio and Ohio State each played Toledo and Akron. The schedule for the 2012-2013 season has not been released.
Both teams will take part in the KIVA College Tournament April 14.
mm938910@ohiou.edu
