It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here as the team has been busy over the years training, competing and winning national championships. In the 2024-2025 season the UC Boxing Club competed in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, New York City, Seattle and Penn State. We hosted the NCBA Midwest Regional Tournament at Cincinnati Fitness & Boxing on March 7-9. We took our biggest team ever (9 boxers) to the NCBA National Tournament in Lawrenceburg, IN on Apr 10-12. The UC men’s team finished as the #2 ranked collegiate boxing team in the country behind only the U.S. Naval Academy. This was the first time in 10 years that any non-military academy finished in the top 3. With 7 of our 8 men’s team boxers returning next year, we are poised to make a run for the National Championship again the next several years.

UC Freshman Payton Woodruff had a historic season in his first year with the following accomplishments:

• In March 2024 Payton won the Cincinnati Golden Gloves Novice division
• In October 2024 Payton competed at the Buckeye Brawl at Ohio State University, beating a boxer from the University of Connecticut and winning the Most Outstanding Boxer Award out of 46 athletes
• In November 2024 Payton competed in New York City at the Arthur Mercante Collegiate Boxing Invitational at the New York Athletic Club and beat a boxer from the Air Force Academy
• In February 2025 Payton competed at Penn State University and beat the two-time defending NCBA National Champion from the West Point Military Academy
• In March 2025 Payton went 2-0 at the NCBA Midwest Regional Tournament to become the 119lb NCBA Midwest Region Champion.  He was named the Most Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament amongst 53 athletes.
• In April 2025 Payton went 2-0 at the NCBA National Tournament in Lawrenceburg, IN to become the 119lb NCBA National Champion.  He also won the Most Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament Award in his division amongst 37 athletes.
• Payton finished the season with 12 consecutive victories

Sophomore Anthony DiAngelo took the 1st semester off while rehabbing from knee surgery over the summer but had an amazing 2nd semester, going 9-0 and becoming both the NCBA Midwest Region and the NCBA National Tournament 156lb Championship, while also collecting wins at Ohio State, Penn State and Seattle.

Miami University Senior Danny Gomez trains with the UC Team. Danny won the NCBA 125lb National Championship in one of the toughest brackets in the tournament. Danny avenged a prior loss in the Quarterfinals over a boxer from UCLA and beat a boxer from the Air Force Academy in the Semifinals. Danny then overcame another prior loss by beating the defending 125lb National Champion from USC in the Finals. Danny boxed amazing in the tournament, not losing a single round over three all-action fights.

UC also had 3 additional NCBA All-Americans. Senior Jordan Evanko won her 139lb Quarterfinal fight over Trinity College before losing in the Semifinals to the eventual National Champion from Navy. Senior Sam Miranda won his 175lb Quarterfinal fight over Sacramento State before losing in the Semifinals to the eventual National Champion from Navy. Freshman Michael Dempsey was the National Runner-up at 185lbs, beating Penn State in the Quarterfinals and San Jose State in the Semifinals before losing a razor-thin 2-3 split decision in the Finals to the returning National Champion from UConn.

It was a historic season for the UC Boxing Club and with the bulk of our team returning, we’re looking to do even better next year. Watch here for a montage from the NCBA Midwest Regional and National Tournaments that encapsulates the family atmosphere of the UC Boxing Club.