Dallas Wings level guard Jacy Sheldon is headed again to Ohio State — solely this time, as a member of the teaching employees.
Sheldon, one of the crucial embellished gamers in program historical past, has been named the Director of Participant Growth for the Ohio State’s girls’s basketball program. She’s one in every of three Buckeyes to have totaled not less than 1,900 factors, 400 rebounds, 350 assists, 200 steals and 150 made triples of their careers.
Now, after a rookie season in Dallas, Sheldon will start working in participant growth at her alma mater.
In an official statement, Sheldon expressed her pleasure for the prospect to start teaching.
“I’m so excited to have the chance to contribute to a program that did a lot for me as a participant and an individual,” Sheldon mentioned. “As somebody who has a lot love and respect for this college and this program, I’m grateful to be round this program past my taking part in years.”
Sheldon, who was drafted No. 5 general within the 2024 WNBA draft, averaged 5.4 factors and a couple of.5 assists in her rookie season, and earned a beginning spot on the Wings halfway by the 12 months.
Latricia Trammell, her coach on the workforce, routinely praised Sheldon, calling her “the calm within the storm. She breathes life into folks.”
At Ohio, Sheldon will take that calm and picked up demeanor in an effort to mentor youthful gamers. She’s going to work with student-athletes “each on and off the court docket” and work with “the teaching employees, athletic trainers and energy and conditioning coaches to develop and implement complete, individualized participant growth plans,” per the official press release.
Sheldon is one in every of a handful of prime picks from the 2024 draft who gained’t be formally taking part in basketball within the offseason; Angel Reese (No. 7), Rickea Jackson (No. 4), Kate Martin (No. 18), and Aaliyah Edwards (No. 6) will all play in Unrivaled this winter, whereas others, like Kamila Cardoso (No. 3) will play abroad. Alissa Pili (No. 8) will play in Athletes Unlimited, one other offseason basketball place happening within the U.S. Cameron Brink (No. 2) will proceed rehabbing an ACL tear, whereas Caitlin Clark (No. 1) has but to determine her offseason plans.
Along with hiring Sheldon to spearhead participant growth, Ohio State added fellow alumni Katie Smith as assistant coach. Smith has coached within the WNBA for the final 11 years, and has spent the final 5 as an assistant on the Minnesota Lynx. Smith, a two-time WNBA champion and seven-time All-Star, can also be one in every of Ohio State’s best former gamers.
“I’m each excited and grateful to return to my alma mater, Ohio State, and to the town my household and I proudly name dwelling,” Smith mentioned. “Ohio State and its girls’s basketball program performed such a pivotal position in my journey and I’m honored to have the chance to provide again to this system that helped form me.”
Smith and Sheldon will each assist head coach Kevin McGuff within the 2024 season.
For Sheldon, who performed underneath McGuff for 5 seasons, it’s a selected full-circle second.
