Defender Jenny Knox Gayler arrived in 2007 as a raw freshman with high potential, and surpassed expectations by eventually leaving as the most decorated women’s soccer player in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) history. Jenny and the Cardinals captured three-straight OAC regular-season and tournament championships from 2008-10. Otterbein finished each season ranked among the top-10 nationally, with her teams going a combined 68-11-9.

The 2010 run would be the program’s best, finishing at 20-0-4 and advancing to the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, where they bowed out to the eventual national champion in penalty kicks. The Cardinal defense was among the top units nationally over her final three years, and finished the 2010 campaign tops in the country for goals-against average (0.16) and shutout percentage (.875). Otterbein registered 21 shutouts in 24 matches during her final season, allowing just four goals in the process.

A two-time OAC “Defender of the Year”, Jenny started all 88 matches throughout her career and finished as not only the first female athlete in Otterbein history to be named All-American three times, but also as the OAC’s only three-time women’s soccer All-American. Just one other player in conference history has ever done it twice.

Knox might not have ever been the fastest player on the pitch, but she held the rare ability of being in the right place at the right time, all of the time, through judgement and decision making. On top of her defending, Jenny was a unique two-way threat that also registered 15 goals and seven assists during her career. Perhaps the most notable was a first round game-winner, coming in the 86th minute, of a 1-0 win over Calvin that launched the magical 2010 NCAA Tournament run.

In addition to her success on the field, which also includes three all-conference and all-region awards, Jenny also excelled in the classroom. The Gahanna native garnered first team Academic All-America selections as a junior and senior, and was the first Otterbein athlete to ever be named first team All-American and Academic All-America in the same season.

A two-year team captain, Jenny went on to earn her doctorate in physical therapy and marry 2009 Otterbein graduate Brian Gayler. The couple continues to live and work in the Columbus area.