As 2013 comes to a close, we took a glimpse at what our readers were most interested in this year. Check out the top 10 most read stories of 2013 on The Lantern‘s website:

10. Cheerleaders harassed, coaches fired: 2 Ohio State assistants fired after sexual harassment probe, head coach retained

Two assistant Ohio State cheerleading coaches, Eddie Hollins and Dana Bumbrey, were fired in May after a sexual harassment investigation found “sufficient evidence” that both men had violated the university’s Sexual Harassment Policy. At the time, head coach Lenee Buchman was retained, but she was later fired in November.

9. Ohio State responds to Steubenville rape case

After an alleged rape case in Ohio River-town Steubenville garnered national attention, OSU was drawn into the mix when a video surfaced of former OSU student and Steubenville High School graduate Michael Nodianos laughing and talking about the alleged rape for more than 12 minutes. OSU released a statement in January that confirmed Nodianos was not enrolled at the university.

8. Ohio State to extend contract with Nike for $18.5M

Nike chose to exercise a contract option to extend its agreement with OSU for an additional four years, an extension that is set to gross OSU approximately $18.5 million. The contract will be extended until July 31, 2018, and from its start in 2007 to its end in 2018 is set to bring a total of nearly $46 million to the university.

7. Commentary: Being a Buckeye is more than wins or losses

The Buckeyes were 24-0 until the Big Ten Championship game Dec. 7, when the team lost, 34-24, to Michigan State. This commentary said there’s more to being a Buckeye than winning: “Buckeyes aren’t just winners, they’re resilient, and they’re grateful … Because at OSU, we expect to win. But we still stand together when we don’t.”

6. Letter to the editor: Getting wristbands for Mirror Lake jump to make ‘going to the DMV seem like a trip to Cedar Point’

When university officials announced the annual OSU tradition of jumping into Mirror Lake the week of the OSU-Michigan game (traditionally not a school-sanctioned event) would require wristbands for admission this year, many students reacted with outrage. One student submitted this letter to the editor expressing his discontent over the university’s decision.

5. 2 current, 1 former Ohio State football player named in rape case

In March, two current and one former OSU football player were named in a University Police search warrant in connection to an alleged rape of a female OSU student.

4. A window to the world of a cow’s stomach

Every once in a while, an old story from our archives will surface again. In 2013, this story from 2003 about research on cows’ stomachs received a great deal of attention.

3. Ohio State fans knock down fences, jump in Mirror Lake

After OSU officials announced wristbands would be required this year for admission to the annual tradition of jumping in Mirror Lake during the week of the OSU-Michigan game, some fans decided to jump in the lake a day early. An estimated 1,500 people participated in the early jump.

2. Report: 3 Ohio State football players named in search warrant regarding alleged rape

This story was written after Columbus television network ABC 6’s original report was released on how two current and one former OSU football players were named in a University Police search warrant in connection to an alleged rape of a female student.

1. Ohio State students discover stranger living in basement

Unsurprisingly, our most popular story of 2013 was one that went viral around the world. Fifteen people living in a house in OSU’s off-campus area had thought they had a utility closet in their basement behind a locked door — but they discovered in late August it was actually a bedroom where a man named Jeremy had been living.

 

Other stories that were popular this year: