Ohio State Women's Basketball Players Named to John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List

Strategic Insights -

Senior guards Taylor Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon have been selected to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List, announced on ESPN.com on Tuesday. This achievement comes after both players were previously named to the Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List earlier this month. The selection is based on a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, recognizing the early frontrunners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All-American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award. Sheldon, a unanimous choice for the preseason All-Big Ten team by both coaches and media, was an AP All-American Honorable Mention last season. She also earned a spot on the Academic Big-Ten team and was an OSU Scholar-Athlete. This season, Sheldon is leading the team with 14.0 points, a nation-leading 9.5 steals, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game through the first two games. Mikesell, a unanimous choice for the preseason All-Big Ten team by the coaches, was a regional finalist for the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team by both coaches and media. She led the Buckeyes in scoring during Big Ten games with 19.9 ppg and set a program record for three-point shooting. This season, Mikesell is averaging a team-high 20.5 points per game through the first two games, including 25 points in the win against Tennessee.

Key Takeaways:

  • Taylor Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon, both senior guards for the Ohio State women's basketball team, have been named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List on ESPN.com.
  • Mikesell, a unanimous choice for preseason All-Big Ten team by the coaches, earned a spot on the Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List earlier this month.
  • Sheldon, a unanimous choice for the preseason All-Big Ten team by both coaches and media, was an AP All-American Honorable Mention last season.
  • This season, Sheldon is 14.0 points, a nation-leading 9.5 steals, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game through the first two games.
  • Mikesell averaged 20.5 points per game and had 25 points in the win against Tennessee, making her the team's high scorer.
  • Both players have been recognized with various awards and honors, including the Wade Watch List, the OSU Scholar-Athlete, and the Academic Big-Ten team.

Statistics:

  • Sheldon is averaging 14.0 points, 9.5 steals, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game through the first two games.
  • Mikesell is averaging 20.5 points per game through the first two games.
  • Mikesell set a program record for three-point shooting with 114 triples on the season, averaging 3.6 per game and shooting .475 from behind the arc.

Sources:

  • ESPN.com (Source of the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List)
  • Naismith Trophy (Source of the Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List)
  • Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) (Source of the WBCA Coaches' All-America Team)
  • Ohio State University Athletics (Source of the OSU Scholar-Athlete and Academic Big-Ten team recognition)
  • Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award (Source of the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award selection)