July 31, 2005

Columbus, Ohio - Members of the Ohio State women's basketball team led the 2005 Violet Festival Parade Friday through downtown Pickerington, Ohio. Prior to the parade, the Buckeyes were presented with a proclamation from the festival committee appointing the team as 2005 Grand Marshall.

Sophomore guard Marscilla Packer, a product of Pickerington High School, was one of three Buckeyes in the lead car. Senior guard Ashley Allen (Indianapolis/Ben Davis) and sophomore forward Tamarah Riley (Detroit, Mich./St. Martin DePorres) joined Packer in the front of the procession. Senior Kim Wilburn (Southfield, Mich./Detroit Country Day) and sophomore Alice Jamen (Yaounde, Cameroon/Mount de Chantal) also attended and trailed in the second car.

The Buckeyes were honored by the Pickerington community for their record-setting season in 2004-05 that included a program-best 30 wins en route to the team's first Big Ten championship since 1993.

Pete Gaudet, a former assistant coach for the past three seasons and current video coordinator, accompanied the five players at the festival.