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LGHL Ohio State lands Bryn Martin commitment, Ohio Division I Player of the Year
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Ohio State lands Bryn Martin commitment, Ohio Division I Player of the Year
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brendan Connelly/ The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Springboro senior flipped Big Ten schools Sunday night
Springboro guard Brynleigh (Bryn) Martin committed to the Washington Huskies eight months ago, but reopened her recruiting on May 12. Sunday night, the shooting guard announced on Instagram that she is now a member of the 2025 Ohio State women’s basketball recruiting class.
The 6-foot-1 shooting guard is the second player to commit to the Buckeyes before the 2025-26 season. Ranked the No. 69 player in the 2025 ESPN Hoopgurlz prospect class, Martin is a strong late pickup in the recruiting cycle for head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes after Martin won the Ohio Division 1 Player of the Year award.
With Springboro, Martin averaged 23 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game as a senior. Martin brings three level scoring and a quick release from beyond the arc. The guard brings similar attributes beyond the arc as sophomore Ava Watson, but has more potential inside the paint.
Springboro made the Division I Final Four, but lost in the semi-final to Princeton after entering halftime with a 13-point deficit. Martin had 18 points in the game, and scored 13 in the second half. The guard hit a three-point shot late in the game to give Springboro its first lead of the game, but the team fell late 49-47.
In two consecutive seasons, Martin earned a spot as a finalist for Ohio Ms. Basketball, losing to Purcell Marian’s Dee Alexander, who chose the University of Cincinnati over Ohio State and other schools.
For Martin, Ohio State was one of many official visits taken by Martin, and the Buckeyes landed in the guard’s top 10 alongside fellow Big Ten schools Washington and Illinois. Martin chose Ohio State over Dayton, West Virginia, Louisville and West Virginia, to name a few of the schools hoping for the services of the talented shooting guard.
Martin’s addition brings the Scarlet and Gray 25-26 roster up to 11 players, although former Florida Gator Kylee Kitts’ rumored transfer to Ohio State has yet to publicly come to fruition after On3 reported the move 20 days ago.
Ohio State now has three shooting guards on its roster with senior Chance Gray and sophomore Ava Watson, but with Martin’s size and ability, McGuff could develop the talented guard into the three-position, held by Taylor Thierry for the past three seasons.
On May 12, Martin posted on Twitter that Washington granted the commitment a full release from the program. While there is no official statement from the guard about the rationale behind the decision, the Instagram post’s caption reads “STAYING HOME,” which gives the idea that the dynamic guard wanted to play closer to her Springboro home, a town 80 miles southwest of Columbus.
Martin is the second 2025 commitment, alongside Daria Biriuk, a 6-foot-1 guard out of the Webb School and the Ukraine. With the addition of the duo and the departure of Cotie McMahon in the transfer portal, Ohio State now has a full blown competition for minutes between Martin, Biriuk and Watson.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brendan Connelly/ The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Springboro senior flipped Big Ten schools Sunday night
Springboro guard Brynleigh (Bryn) Martin committed to the Washington Huskies eight months ago, but reopened her recruiting on May 12. Sunday night, the shooting guard announced on Instagram that she is now a member of the 2025 Ohio State women’s basketball recruiting class.
The 6-foot-1 shooting guard is the second player to commit to the Buckeyes before the 2025-26 season. Ranked the No. 69 player in the 2025 ESPN Hoopgurlz prospect class, Martin is a strong late pickup in the recruiting cycle for head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes after Martin won the Ohio Division 1 Player of the Year award.
With Springboro, Martin averaged 23 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game as a senior. Martin brings three level scoring and a quick release from beyond the arc. The guard brings similar attributes beyond the arc as sophomore Ava Watson, but has more potential inside the paint.
Springboro made the Division I Final Four, but lost in the semi-final to Princeton after entering halftime with a 13-point deficit. Martin had 18 points in the game, and scored 13 in the second half. The guard hit a three-point shot late in the game to give Springboro its first lead of the game, but the team fell late 49-47.
In two consecutive seasons, Martin earned a spot as a finalist for Ohio Ms. Basketball, losing to Purcell Marian’s Dee Alexander, who chose the University of Cincinnati over Ohio State and other schools.
For Martin, Ohio State was one of many official visits taken by Martin, and the Buckeyes landed in the guard’s top 10 alongside fellow Big Ten schools Washington and Illinois. Martin chose Ohio State over Dayton, West Virginia, Louisville and West Virginia, to name a few of the schools hoping for the services of the talented shooting guard.
Martin’s addition brings the Scarlet and Gray 25-26 roster up to 11 players, although former Florida Gator Kylee Kitts’ rumored transfer to Ohio State has yet to publicly come to fruition after On3 reported the move 20 days ago.
Ohio State now has three shooting guards on its roster with senior Chance Gray and sophomore Ava Watson, but with Martin’s size and ability, McGuff could develop the talented guard into the three-position, held by Taylor Thierry for the past three seasons.
On May 12, Martin posted on Twitter that Washington granted the commitment a full release from the program. While there is no official statement from the guard about the rationale behind the decision, the Instagram post’s caption reads “STAYING HOME,” which gives the idea that the dynamic guard wanted to play closer to her Springboro home, a town 80 miles southwest of Columbus.
Martin is the second 2025 commitment, alongside Daria Biriuk, a 6-foot-1 guard out of the Webb School and the Ukraine. With the addition of the duo and the departure of Cotie McMahon in the transfer portal, Ohio State now has a full blown competition for minutes between Martin, Biriuk and Watson.
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LGHL Ohio State makes top schools for high four-star EDGE, offers trio of new prospects
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Ohio State makes top schools for high four-star EDGE, offers trio of new prospects
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 EDGE Luke Waffle with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day | via @WafleLuke on Twitter
The Buckeyes stayed active on the recruiting trail over the weekend.
We are a little over three months away from the start of Ohio State’s 2025 season, and while preparations will soon be underway to get the current roster in top shape for the upcoming campaign, the coaching staff has also been busy on the recruiting trail planning for the future.
On Friday, the Buckeyes got their latest bit of good news when high four-star defensive lineman Luke Wafle listed Ohio State among his top five schools. The No. 6 EDGE and No. 55 player nationally as well as the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey per the 247Sports Composite, Wafle is still considering the scarlet and grey alongside Florida, Penn State, Texas and USC.
A star at the Hun School in Princeton, NJ, Wafle wrapped up his junior season with 53 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, eight sacks and eight QB hurries in addition to tallying 13 carries for 99 yards on offense. A multi-sport athlete with the Raiders, Wafle also averaged 11.1 points per game on the basketball court as a junior and went 45-6 in shot put as a 10th grader.
Wafle has scheduled official visits with four of his five finalists, with a trip to Columbus set for May 30. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound edge rusher has yet to finalize an official with the Trojans, but will see Florida on May 16 followed by a trip to Penn State on June 6 and Texas on June 20. Wafle does not yet have a scheduled commitment date.
The Buckeyes appear to be in a good spot with Wafle, having first offered the Garden State standout back in April of 2024 and hosting him on campus this past March, but obviously this round of official visits will go a long way in determining the final outcome of this recruitment.
Wafle comes from a football family, as his father David Wafle played defensive line for Duke in the ‘90s, while his brother Owen Wafle signed with Michigan in the 2024 class before transferring to Penn State this offseason. The Nittany Lions could potentially have an inside track on Luke Wafle with his sibling currently on campus, making Larry Johnson’s job that much harder.
Ohio State’s 2026 class currently sits at 13 members. While there is obviously still a ton of work to be done in the current cycle, that isn’t stopping the Buckeyes’ coaching staff from continuing to evaluate options in future cycles as well.
That being said, one of the most recent offers for OSU is actually a player in this current recruiting class. That would be none other than Lamar Brown, a five-star defensive lineman and one of the top overall prospects in the 2026 class.
The Buckeyes are super late to the game here, as the No. 1 DL and No. 8 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite already holds more than 30 offers and has a commitment date set for July 4. Brown has official visits scheduled with four schools — Florida State, LSU, Miami and Texas A&M — and has been Crystal Balled to the Tigers. Needless to say, this offer coming at this stage of the game seems like a real Hail Mary.
Looking more down the road, on Sunday Ohio State extended an offer for 2027 quarterback, Teddy Jarrard. A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, Jarrard is the No. 19 QB and No. 271 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound signal caller holds more than two dozen offers to this point, with the Buckeyes joining the list alongside Auburn, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, UNC and many others. Ohio State does already have a quarterback committed in the 2027 class in Brady Edmunds, the No. 6 QB in the cycle, but is still continuing to evaluate options if the goal is to take two at the position.
Looking even further into the future, Ohio State offered a member of the 2028 class on Friday in wide receiver Brysen Wright. A 6-foot-2.5, 200-pound pass-catcher out of Jacksonville, Florida, Wright is not yet ranked this far out, but you can surely trust position coach Brian Hartline’s player evaluations — especially in the Sunshine State.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 EDGE Luke Waffle with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day | via @WafleLuke on Twitter
The Buckeyes stayed active on the recruiting trail over the weekend.
We are a little over three months away from the start of Ohio State’s 2025 season, and while preparations will soon be underway to get the current roster in top shape for the upcoming campaign, the coaching staff has also been busy on the recruiting trail planning for the future.
On Friday, the Buckeyes got their latest bit of good news when high four-star defensive lineman Luke Wafle listed Ohio State among his top five schools. The No. 6 EDGE and No. 55 player nationally as well as the No. 1 prospect in New Jersey per the 247Sports Composite, Wafle is still considering the scarlet and grey alongside Florida, Penn State, Texas and USC.
A star at the Hun School in Princeton, NJ, Wafle wrapped up his junior season with 53 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, eight sacks and eight QB hurries in addition to tallying 13 carries for 99 yards on offense. A multi-sport athlete with the Raiders, Wafle also averaged 11.1 points per game on the basketball court as a junior and went 45-6 in shot put as a 10th grader.
Wafle has scheduled official visits with four of his five finalists, with a trip to Columbus set for May 30. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound edge rusher has yet to finalize an official with the Trojans, but will see Florida on May 16 followed by a trip to Penn State on June 6 and Texas on June 20. Wafle does not yet have a scheduled commitment date.
The Buckeyes appear to be in a good spot with Wafle, having first offered the Garden State standout back in April of 2024 and hosting him on campus this past March, but obviously this round of official visits will go a long way in determining the final outcome of this recruitment.
Wafle comes from a football family, as his father David Wafle played defensive line for Duke in the ‘90s, while his brother Owen Wafle signed with Michigan in the 2024 class before transferring to Penn State this offseason. The Nittany Lions could potentially have an inside track on Luke Wafle with his sibling currently on campus, making Larry Johnson’s job that much harder.
A flurry of new offers across several cycles
Ohio State’s 2026 class currently sits at 13 members. While there is obviously still a ton of work to be done in the current cycle, that isn’t stopping the Buckeyes’ coaching staff from continuing to evaluate options in future cycles as well.
That being said, one of the most recent offers for OSU is actually a player in this current recruiting class. That would be none other than Lamar Brown, a five-star defensive lineman and one of the top overall prospects in the 2026 class.
The Buckeyes are super late to the game here, as the No. 1 DL and No. 8 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite already holds more than 30 offers and has a commitment date set for July 4. Brown has official visits scheduled with four schools — Florida State, LSU, Miami and Texas A&M — and has been Crystal Balled to the Tigers. Needless to say, this offer coming at this stage of the game seems like a real Hail Mary.
Looking more down the road, on Sunday Ohio State extended an offer for 2027 quarterback, Teddy Jarrard. A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, Jarrard is the No. 19 QB and No. 271 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound signal caller holds more than two dozen offers to this point, with the Buckeyes joining the list alongside Auburn, Georgia, Indiana, Miami, UNC and many others. Ohio State does already have a quarterback committed in the 2027 class in Brady Edmunds, the No. 6 QB in the cycle, but is still continuing to evaluate options if the goal is to take two at the position.
Looking even further into the future, Ohio State offered a member of the 2028 class on Friday in wide receiver Brysen Wright. A 6-foot-2.5, 200-pound pass-catcher out of Jacksonville, Florida, Wright is not yet ranked this far out, but you can surely trust position coach Brian Hartline’s player evaluations — especially in the Sunshine State.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State’s most recent commit is itching to get back to campus. Four-star cornerback Jordan Thomas, who joined the Buckeyes’ 2026 class last Monday, has now scheduled his official visit for June 20-22. Thomas is the No. 17 CB and the No. 178 player nationally, in addition to the No. 2 prospect out of New Jersey per the 247Sports Composite.
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2027 GA QB Teddy Jarrard (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
Position: QB
School: Kennesaw(GA) North Cobb
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 190lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: QB
School: Kennesaw(GA) North Cobb
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 190lbs
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LGHL Ohio State fans single out two heroes from Buckeyes’ championship run
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Ohio State fans single out two heroes from Buckeyes’ championship run
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33, or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we wrap up our Buckeye Heroes Week here at LGHL, we are looking back at the fan survey that we did in which we asked Ohio State fans to help us determine who the hero was for OSU’s national championship run, and who stands alongside Jesse Owens as the ultimate Buckeye Hero.
We put the survey into the field earlier this week, and now we’ve got the results. Take a look at what your fellow fans thought and share your reactions in the comments below.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25998539/OhioState_1_51625.png)
I love that this was so close, because when I was putting this question together, I truthfully didn’t know which way I would go between Will Howard and Jack Sawyer. The quarterback was masterful in raising the level of offensive execution throughout the playoff run, while the defensive lineman played the best four-game stretch of his career, and perhaps in Ohio State history from an edge rusher.
It seems almost predetermined that these two, who are linked for so many reasons, will now be starting their NFL careers together as Pittsburgh Steelers. I personally will never forget the performances that these two turned in during the College Football Playoff, and while I don’t particularly care one way or the other about the Steelers, I hope that they build off of the success they had in the postseason and it leads to long and productive pro careers.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25998540/OhioState_2_51625.png)
This probably shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Other than Jesse Owens, whose accomplishments transcended not only Ohio State, but sports altogether, there is no one more synonymous with Buckeye athletics than college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner.
In fact, I think you could easily argue that because Jesse Owens’ accomplishments transcended Ohio State and sports altogether, that he exists on such an elevated plane that while we obviously claim him as one of our own, outside of Buckey Nation, people forget about his roots.
The same cannot be said for Archie Griffin. Archie is Mr. Buckeye. For decades, he has represented the football program, athletic department, and university with dignity, class, and character. While there is no doubt that everything that Archie did as a member of the football team is amongst the most impressive accomplishments in the history of the sport, I firmly believe that what truly makes him a Buckeye hero is what he did after his on-field career was over.
From working in the athletic department to leading the alumni association to being the program and school’s central goodwill ambassador, Archie Griffin is the best of what Ohio State has to offer, and he is more than deserving of all of the flowers and accolades that have rightly ben given to him.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33, or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we wrap up our Buckeye Heroes Week here at LGHL, we are looking back at the fan survey that we did in which we asked Ohio State fans to help us determine who the hero was for OSU’s national championship run, and who stands alongside Jesse Owens as the ultimate Buckeye Hero.
We put the survey into the field earlier this week, and now we’ve got the results. Take a look at what your fellow fans thought and share your reactions in the comments below.
Question 1: Who do you think was the hero of the Buckeyes’ national championship run?
I love that this was so close, because when I was putting this question together, I truthfully didn’t know which way I would go between Will Howard and Jack Sawyer. The quarterback was masterful in raising the level of offensive execution throughout the playoff run, while the defensive lineman played the best four-game stretch of his career, and perhaps in Ohio State history from an edge rusher.
It seems almost predetermined that these two, who are linked for so many reasons, will now be starting their NFL careers together as Pittsburgh Steelers. I personally will never forget the performances that these two turned in during the College Football Playoff, and while I don’t particularly care one way or the other about the Steelers, I hope that they build off of the success they had in the postseason and it leads to long and productive pro careers.
Question 2: Other than Jesse Owens, who is the ultimate Buckeye hero?
This probably shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Other than Jesse Owens, whose accomplishments transcended not only Ohio State, but sports altogether, there is no one more synonymous with Buckeye athletics than college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner.
In fact, I think you could easily argue that because Jesse Owens’ accomplishments transcended Ohio State and sports altogether, that he exists on such an elevated plane that while we obviously claim him as one of our own, outside of Buckey Nation, people forget about his roots.
The same cannot be said for Archie Griffin. Archie is Mr. Buckeye. For decades, he has represented the football program, athletic department, and university with dignity, class, and character. While there is no doubt that everything that Archie did as a member of the football team is amongst the most impressive accomplishments in the history of the sport, I firmly believe that what truly makes him a Buckeye hero is what he did after his on-field career was over.
From working in the athletic department to leading the alumni association to being the program and school’s central goodwill ambassador, Archie Griffin is the best of what Ohio State has to offer, and he is more than deserving of all of the flowers and accolades that have rightly ben given to him.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
LGHL Kelsey Mitchell’s college and pro careers have made her one of the most memorable Buckeye heroes
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Kelsey Mitchell’s college and pro careers have made her one of the most memorable Buckeye heroes
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
The school’s all-time leading scorer has gone on to be one of the most consistent players in the WNBA after joining the league in 2018.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
With the 2025 WNBA season kicking off this weekend, this is a perfect time to look at one of the heroes from Ohio State women’s basketball. Kelsey Mitchell made an immediate impact on the court after earning McDonald’s All-American, Ohio Ms. Basketball, and Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2014 as a senior at Princeton High School in the Cincinnati area. Bringing Mitchell to Columbus was massive for head coach Kevin McGuff, who went 17-18 in his first season as head coach of the Buckeyes in the 2013-14 season.
Mitchell didn’t take long to find her comfort zone on the court for the Buckeyes. In her first game in the scarlet and gray, Mitchell attempted 27 shots and finished with 26 points in a loss to Virginia. In the first five games of her college career, Mitchell scored at least 20 points. Mitchell scored at least 13 points in each of the 35 games of her freshman season, finishing with a scoring average of 24.9 points per game.
As a freshman, Mitchell scored 873 points, which was the second-most in college basketball history, only trailing the 898 points Tina Hutchinson scored in the 1983-84 season for San Diego State. More importantly, Ohio State returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Buckeyes were eliminated by North Carolina in the second round.
The 2015-16 season saw Mitchell post her most impressive statistical season as a Buckeye, averaging 26.1 points per game. Ohio State was tough to beat in conference during the regular season, losing just three games, with two of those losses coming in overtime, and the other being by just four points.
With a 24-7 record heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes earned a three-seed and would win two games before falling to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen. Mitchell would record four games of at least 40 points during the season on her way to being named a First Team All-American. One of those 40-point games came in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against West Virginia when she finished with 45 points in the victory. With some of her monster scoring performances, Mitchell was named a First Team All-American.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25998127/927952760.jpg "COLLEGE BASKETBALL: MAR 03 Big Ten Women’s Tournament - Ohio State v Minnesota")
Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mitchell’s scoring slowed just a little bit as a junior, finishing the season averaging 22.6 points per game, her lowest total as a Buckeye. Despite averaging almost four points less per game than she did as a sophomore, Mitchell still led the Big Ten in scoring. Mitchell made at least one three-pointer in every game during her junior season, becoming the Big Ten’s all-time three-pointer leader in the win over Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. After advancing out of the Lexington Regional as a five-seed, the Buckeyes fell to one-seed Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen.
After two seasons of falling in the Sweet Sixteen, Mitchell and Ohio State had designs for a deeper run in her final season at Ohio State. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes squandered their home-court advantage over the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, falling at St. John Arena to Central Michigan in the second round. Mitchell would close out her college career with a 24.3 points per game average during the 2017-18 season.
In January against Maryland, Mitchell would become the NCAA’s career three-point leader just over a week after recording her 3,000th career point. Mitchell was named First Team All-Big Ten in all four of her collegiate seasons and was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Following her outstanding college career, Mitchell was selected by the Indiana Fever with the second pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, with A’ja Wilson being the only player selected before Mitchell. In her first season as a professional, Mitchell started 17 games and finished with a 12.7 points per game average. The former Buckeye would be named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team. The individual success came at a price since the Fever were one of the worst teams in the league, winning just six games during her rookie season.
The 2019 season saw Indiana make some strides, winning 13 games as Mitchell averaged 13.6 points per game. Unfortunately, the improvements for Indiana didn’t last long. Over the next three seasons, the Fever would go just 17-73. Mitchell would continue to play productive basketball despite Indiana’s struggles, averaging at least 17.8 points per game in each of those three seasons.
Mitchell finally started getting some help, as the Fever drafted South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston with the first overall pick in 2023. With the addition of Boston, Indiana was not only able to win 13 games, but Mitchell earned her first WNBA All-Star appearance. Even though Indiana didn’t make the playoffs in 2023, the Fever did create some momentum, which was only heightened when the franchise drafted Iowa standout Caitlin Clark.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25998129/2172213216.jpg "Dallas Wings v Indiana Fever")
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
With Boston and Clark able to help Mitchell do some heavy lifting on the court, the Fever caught fire towards the end of the regular season, finishing with a 20-20 record, which allowed Mitchell to earn her first trip to the WNBA playoffs. Despite being swept by Washington in the first round, last year’s performance from the team raised expectations for this season. Mitchell finished with a career-high 19.2 points per game, earning her second consecutive WNBA All-Star appearance.
Following the playoff appearance, Mitchell would be designated as a core player by the Fever, allowing the team to guarantee her a supermax contract for the 2025 season. Along with locking up Mitchell for this season, Indiana brought in standouts Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner to add to the team’s core. The combination of the youthful skill of Clark and Boston to go along with the veteran leadership that Mitchell, Howard, and Bonner bring to the team is a big reason why the Fever are being projected to make a serious run at the WNBA title this season.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
The school’s all-time leading scorer has gone on to be one of the most consistent players in the WNBA after joining the league in 2018.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
With the 2025 WNBA season kicking off this weekend, this is a perfect time to look at one of the heroes from Ohio State women’s basketball. Kelsey Mitchell made an immediate impact on the court after earning McDonald’s All-American, Ohio Ms. Basketball, and Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2014 as a senior at Princeton High School in the Cincinnati area. Bringing Mitchell to Columbus was massive for head coach Kevin McGuff, who went 17-18 in his first season as head coach of the Buckeyes in the 2013-14 season.
Mitchell didn’t take long to find her comfort zone on the court for the Buckeyes. In her first game in the scarlet and gray, Mitchell attempted 27 shots and finished with 26 points in a loss to Virginia. In the first five games of her college career, Mitchell scored at least 20 points. Mitchell scored at least 13 points in each of the 35 games of her freshman season, finishing with a scoring average of 24.9 points per game.
As a freshman, Mitchell scored 873 points, which was the second-most in college basketball history, only trailing the 898 points Tina Hutchinson scored in the 1983-84 season for San Diego State. More importantly, Ohio State returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Buckeyes were eliminated by North Carolina in the second round.
The 2015-16 season saw Mitchell post her most impressive statistical season as a Buckeye, averaging 26.1 points per game. Ohio State was tough to beat in conference during the regular season, losing just three games, with two of those losses coming in overtime, and the other being by just four points.
With a 24-7 record heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes earned a three-seed and would win two games before falling to Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen. Mitchell would record four games of at least 40 points during the season on her way to being named a First Team All-American. One of those 40-point games came in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against West Virginia when she finished with 45 points in the victory. With some of her monster scoring performances, Mitchell was named a First Team All-American.
Mitchell’s scoring slowed just a little bit as a junior, finishing the season averaging 22.6 points per game, her lowest total as a Buckeye. Despite averaging almost four points less per game than she did as a sophomore, Mitchell still led the Big Ten in scoring. Mitchell made at least one three-pointer in every game during her junior season, becoming the Big Ten’s all-time three-pointer leader in the win over Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. After advancing out of the Lexington Regional as a five-seed, the Buckeyes fell to one-seed Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen.
After two seasons of falling in the Sweet Sixteen, Mitchell and Ohio State had designs for a deeper run in her final season at Ohio State. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes squandered their home-court advantage over the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, falling at St. John Arena to Central Michigan in the second round. Mitchell would close out her college career with a 24.3 points per game average during the 2017-18 season.
In January against Maryland, Mitchell would become the NCAA’s career three-point leader just over a week after recording her 3,000th career point. Mitchell was named First Team All-Big Ten in all four of her collegiate seasons and was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Following her outstanding college career, Mitchell was selected by the Indiana Fever with the second pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, with A’ja Wilson being the only player selected before Mitchell. In her first season as a professional, Mitchell started 17 games and finished with a 12.7 points per game average. The former Buckeye would be named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team. The individual success came at a price since the Fever were one of the worst teams in the league, winning just six games during her rookie season.
The 2019 season saw Indiana make some strides, winning 13 games as Mitchell averaged 13.6 points per game. Unfortunately, the improvements for Indiana didn’t last long. Over the next three seasons, the Fever would go just 17-73. Mitchell would continue to play productive basketball despite Indiana’s struggles, averaging at least 17.8 points per game in each of those three seasons.
Mitchell finally started getting some help, as the Fever drafted South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston with the first overall pick in 2023. With the addition of Boston, Indiana was not only able to win 13 games, but Mitchell earned her first WNBA All-Star appearance. Even though Indiana didn’t make the playoffs in 2023, the Fever did create some momentum, which was only heightened when the franchise drafted Iowa standout Caitlin Clark.
With Boston and Clark able to help Mitchell do some heavy lifting on the court, the Fever caught fire towards the end of the regular season, finishing with a 20-20 record, which allowed Mitchell to earn her first trip to the WNBA playoffs. Despite being swept by Washington in the first round, last year’s performance from the team raised expectations for this season. Mitchell finished with a career-high 19.2 points per game, earning her second consecutive WNBA All-Star appearance.
Following the playoff appearance, Mitchell would be designated as a core player by the Fever, allowing the team to guarantee her a supermax contract for the 2025 season. Along with locking up Mitchell for this season, Indiana brought in standouts Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner to add to the team’s core. The combination of the youthful skill of Clark and Boston to go along with the veteran leadership that Mitchell, Howard, and Bonner bring to the team is a big reason why the Fever are being projected to make a serious run at the WNBA title this season.
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