The Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1) have typically been one of the stronger teams in the Big Ten since Kevin McGuff was hired as head coach in 2013. They’re coming off their deepest NCAA Tournament run in the McGuff era: the program’s first Elite Eight appearance since 1987.
Expectations are high for the Buckeyes entering the 2023-24 season, and a healthy Jacy Sheldon is a major reason why. Sheldon, a 5-foot-10 guard from Dublin, OH, chose to return to Ohio State for a fifth season as a graduate season, declaring “unfinished business” after losing a large chunk of her senior season to a lower leg injury.
For the Buckeyes, this is a case of the rich getting richer. Ohio State added last year’s ACC Defensive Player of the Year Celeste Taylor in the transfer portal, and assuming returning players like Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry continue their respective growth, the Buckeyes will have a roster full of high-caliber athletes and defensive playmakers capable of wreaking havoc on the court.
It’s going to be Sheldon who ultimately determines how far the Buckeyes go, though. With next-level defensive instincts and a downhill offensive game rivaled by few other guards in the country, Sheldon is a player who can carry her team on both ends of the floor and—if she’s…
