DiBetta, Paveletzke Honored by MAC with Medal of Excellence Award Recognition
5/21/2026 9:05:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Swimming and Diving
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CLEVELAND – Senior Casadie DiBetta from Ohio Swim and Dive and senior Jackson Paveletzke from Ohio Men's Basketball were named as Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award winners for the 2025-26 academic year, the league announced Thursday (May 21).
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 13 Conference member institutions. To receive the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes must have participated at the varsity level in a Conference-sponsored sport, maintained a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA, and demonstrated excellence in athletics, leadership, and service. Honorees are selected by their respective institutions.
DiBetta (St. Clairsville, Ohio), earned her degree in Early Childhood Education with a 3.992 GPA. In her four years at Ohio, DiBetta cemented herself as one of the best breaststrokers in program history. DiBetta finished her career as a six-time MAC Champion in the 100, 200 breaststroke and the 200 medley relay team. She holds multiple school records, is a four-time All-MAC selection and became the first Bobcat to qualify for the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships in the breaststroke in 26 years. DiBetta is also a three-time Academic All-MAC and a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree.
This past season, DiBetta was spectacular. At the MAC Championships, DiBetta placed first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a career-best time of 2:09.33, which set a new Ohio record, and set an Ohio record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a career best time of 59.78. DiBetta was a member of the 200-yard medley relay team that placed third with a time of 1:37.61 and a member of the 400-yard medley relay that set an Ohio record with a time of 3:33.10.
DiBetta qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career and was the first breaststroke swimmer to go to NCAAs in 26 years. At the NCAA Championships, DiBetta placed 43rd in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:00.67 and placed 48th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:21.39.
This season, DiBetta earned MAC Swimmer of the Week Honors, was named First Team All-MAC, Academic All-MAC and CSC Academic All-District.
Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) earned his degree in General Studies/Sports Management and Marketing with a 3.649 GPA. Paveletzke spent two seasons with Ohio after coming to Athens in the summer of 2024. In his two seasons at Ohio, Paveletzke played and started in 63 games, while averaging 15.5 points a game. He shot 49 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 79 percent from the line, while averaging 3.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He is a 1,000-point scorer, scoring 979 of his 1,587 career points at Ohio.
Paveletzke is a Second Team and Third-Team All-MAC selection, is a two-time Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team honoree and an Academic All-MAC selection.
This season Paveletzke put together the best season of his career. He played and started in 31 games, while averaging 17.3 points a game. He shot 47 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 80 percent from the line, while averaging 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He had 26 double digit scoring games, 12 20-point games and dished out 11 assists twice this season. On March 6 in a game against No. 19 Miami, Paveletzke had the game of his career, scoring a career-high 37 points, going 12-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from three and 10-of-12 from the line, while dishing out six assists in the overtime thriller.
The twenty-six selected MAC student-athletes will be presented with the Medal of Excellence Award during the 2026 Honors Dinner Ceremony at the Cleveland Hotel as part of MAC Spring Meetings on Thursday, May 28th.
#OUohyeah
CLEVELAND – Senior Casadie DiBetta from Ohio Swim and Dive and senior Jackson Paveletzke from Ohio Men's Basketball were named as Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award winners for the 2025-26 academic year, the league announced Thursday (May 21).
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 13 Conference member institutions. To receive the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes must have participated at the varsity level in a Conference-sponsored sport, maintained a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA, and demonstrated excellence in athletics, leadership, and service. Honorees are selected by their respective institutions.
DiBetta (St. Clairsville, Ohio), earned her degree in Early Childhood Education with a 3.992 GPA. In her four years at Ohio, DiBetta cemented herself as one of the best breaststrokers in program history. DiBetta finished her career as a six-time MAC Champion in the 100, 200 breaststroke and the 200 medley relay team. She holds multiple school records, is a four-time All-MAC selection and became the first Bobcat to qualify for the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships in the breaststroke in 26 years. DiBetta is also a three-time Academic All-MAC and a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree.
This past season, DiBetta was spectacular. At the MAC Championships, DiBetta placed first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a career-best time of 2:09.33, which set a new Ohio record, and set an Ohio record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a career best time of 59.78. DiBetta was a member of the 200-yard medley relay team that placed third with a time of 1:37.61 and a member of the 400-yard medley relay that set an Ohio record with a time of 3:33.10.
DiBetta qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career and was the first breaststroke swimmer to go to NCAAs in 26 years. At the NCAA Championships, DiBetta placed 43rd in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:00.67 and placed 48th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:21.39.
This season, DiBetta earned MAC Swimmer of the Week Honors, was named First Team All-MAC, Academic All-MAC and CSC Academic All-District.
Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.) earned his degree in General Studies/Sports Management and Marketing with a 3.649 GPA. Paveletzke spent two seasons with Ohio after coming to Athens in the summer of 2024. In his two seasons at Ohio, Paveletzke played and started in 63 games, while averaging 15.5 points a game. He shot 49 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 79 percent from the line, while averaging 3.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He is a 1,000-point scorer, scoring 979 of his 1,587 career points at Ohio.
Paveletzke is a Second Team and Third-Team All-MAC selection, is a two-time Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team honoree and an Academic All-MAC selection.
This season Paveletzke put together the best season of his career. He played and started in 31 games, while averaging 17.3 points a game. He shot 47 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 80 percent from the line, while averaging 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He had 26 double digit scoring games, 12 20-point games and dished out 11 assists twice this season. On March 6 in a game against No. 19 Miami, Paveletzke had the game of his career, scoring a career-high 37 points, going 12-of-25 from the field, 3-of-6 from three and 10-of-12 from the line, while dishing out six assists in the overtime thriller.
The twenty-six selected MAC student-athletes will be presented with the Medal of Excellence Award during the 2026 Honors Dinner Ceremony at the Cleveland Hotel as part of MAC Spring Meetings on Thursday, May 28th.
#OUohyeah
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