The athlete who once planned to play lacrosse at Navy is now a senior linebacker preparing to anchor Ohio State’s defense. Looking back, the decision he made after winning a state championship in Darien changed everything.
Christian Alliegro is now preparing for his first season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Wisconsin. Lacrosse was once the center of his athletic life. He was an accomplished All-American lacrosse player at Darien High School in Connecticut and was committed to playing the sport for the Navy. During a media availability on August 20, he explained why football took priority.
“It all started when I was at Darien High School back over in Connecticut. We won the state championship my senior year, and I was kind of sitting there one day, and I was talking to my mom. I was like, I like lacrosse, but I think I have more of a love and passion for football.”
“And my parents were like, all right, let’s go do your thing. And they let me do a postgraduate year after high school, ended up getting a bunch of offers all that second. And it was kind of a, honestly, it was a blessing and a miracle for me. And a little bit of luck as well. But, you know, yeah, so I’m just so happy I’m here and blessed,” Alliegro said.
His turning point arrived after Darien captured the 2021 Class LL state championship. Alliegro had already reached the peak of high school lacrosse success, yet he realized his heart was pulling him toward a different field.
When he told his parents about his passion for football, they supported the switch. Their backing was important because it allowed him to take a postgraduate year at Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut. That extra year gave him the time he needed to focus on football and change how college programs viewed his potential.
Going into that postgraduate year, Alliegro had very limited football exposure. Lacrosse had dominated his schedule and the sports culture in his area. But once at Avon Old Farms, his physical tools became impossible for football coaches to ignore.
His coach, Jon Wholley, saw his potential, and it didn’t take too long for Alliegro to grab around 13 FBS scholarship offers. In his senior year of high school football, he racked up 76 tackles and three interceptions to earn first-team all-state honors. By December 2022, he had signed with Wisconsin.
Once he entered the Big Ten, Alliegro proved he belonged here.
Wisconsin success and a promising start in Columbus for Christian Alliegro
Alliegro played three seasons at Wisconsin from 2023 to 2025. In 2023, he appeared in 13 games with five tackles and a sack. Then, in 2024, he finished with 66 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. That year also featured a 16-tackle game against Iowa.
Going into 2025, in just 10 games, he recorded 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and four sacks. His play earned him honorable mention on the All-Big Ten teams from coaches and the media.
During the same season, while playing against Ohio State on October 18, 2025, he sustained an injury to his left arm early in the game but refused to quit and finished with six tackles and two tackles for loss.
Alliegro committed to Ohio State on January 8, 2026, choosing the Buckeyes over many other programs, including Texas. He is projected to be a starter or co-starter alongside Payton Pierce in the base defense.
Head coach Ryan Day views him as a crucial piece of the defense. Following a scrimmage on August 15, Day discussed the veteran presence in the room. “Then Payton (Pierce) and Christian (Alliegro) have been solid. Again, another room where we feel we have depth. I think James [Laurinaitis] feels that way. I think you will see us rotate, guys, and try to figure out how all those pieces work.”
Linebackers coach Laurinaitis and the staff trust the room, and the program even officially welcomed him as “THOR” when he first arrived.