Ohio State Athletics Partners with CHRP to Launch Emotional Performance Tracking Pilot with Wrestling Program

CHRP — the Emotional Performance Intelligence™ platform redefining how athletes and teams unlock readiness, resilience, and peak performance through music and AI.

Tom Ryan, head coach of Ohio State Wrestling, is partnering with CHRP to pioneer the first NCAA season-long emotional performance tracking program.

Ohio State Wrestling and CHRP have partnered to launch the first NCAA season-long emotional performance tracking program.

First season-long initiative to measure athlete readiness using AI-driven insights from music listening patterns

COLUMBUS, OH, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ohio State University Department of Athletics, in collaboration with Head Coach Tom Ryan and the Buckeye wrestling program—a perennial Big Ten title contender with 70+ All-Americans under Ryan—has launched a new partnership with CHRP (pronounced “chirp”), the Emotional Performance Intelligence™ platform that helps teams track and support athlete readiness.

Wrestling becomes the first Ohio State sport to integrate season-long emotional performance tracking into its training and competitive approach. The initiative reflects a broader shift in NCAA Division I toward holistic, data-driven athlete development, as programs set out to align mental health and performance tracking.

Recent NCAA research shows 35% of student-athletes experience mental health challenges impacting their performance. Emotional resilience is increasingly recognized as a driver for both well-being and results on the field.

“We measure everything physical—speed, strength, heart rate. Now we are adding the mental game, powered by something our athletes already use daily: music. Knowing when they are primed to perform, when they need recovery, and how their mindset shifts over a season is a powerful edge,” said Tom Ryan, head coach, Ohio State wrestling.

Ryan added, “Thoughts drive actions. Music influences thoughts. Guarding our minds and filling them with words, sounds, and harmonies that elevate us is critically important. CHRP will help bring important data to each of our student-athletes to help them better understand their thought life.”

CHRP’s platform analyzes opt-in, anonymized music listening patterns to generate a weekly Emotional Performance Intelligence (EPI) Score™ for each athlete. These actionable insights help coaches identify trends, anticipate recovery needs, and detect early signals of mental fatigue without additional surveys or workload.

“Ohio State sets the standard for collegiate athletics,” said Jeff Smith, founder and CEO, CHRP. “Their leadership in making mental performance a core focus sends a clear message to programs across the country. By decoding emotional signals in music listening, we can help athletes connect body, mind, and mindset in ways that enhance well-being and performance.”

EPI Scores will be integrated into regular athlete check-ins throughout the 2025–26 season, with findings informing collaborative research with Ohio State’s Sports Science Department. The pilot may be evaluated for further use across additional varsity sports.

About Ohio State Athletics
The Ohio State University Department of Athletics sponsors 36 varsity sports and is recognized nationally for competitive excellence, academic achievement, and innovative athlete development. Buckeye teams have won national championships, Olympic medals, and countless Big Ten titles, maintaining a commitment to supporting student-athletes in reaching their full potential.

About Ohio State Wrestling
The Buckeye wrestling program is among the most decorated in NCAA history, winning the 2015 national championship and producing student-athletes who excel on and off the mat. Under Head Coach Tom Ryan since 2006, Ohio State wrestling has built a culture of discipline, resilience, and pursuit of excellence.

About CHRP
CHRP is the Emotional Performance Intelligence™ platform for athletes, teams, and organizations. Using opt-in music listening data and AI, CHRP generates actionable readiness insights that help leaders support people at their peak. Founded in Nashville, Tenn., CHRP is redefining human performance through music. Learn more at www.chrp.ai/sports.

Media Contact:
Jeff Smith
615-241-0511
media@chrp.ai

Jeff Smith
CHRP
+1 615-241-0511
media@chrp.ai
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