Ohio State women’s basketball is gearing up for an exciting season, projected to finish third in the highly competitive Big Ten conference this year. Both the coaches and media preseason polls, released on Thursday, rank the defending Big Ten champions in the third position. USC, another formidable contender, is favored to win the conference, followed closely by UCLA in second place.

Maryland is slated to take the fourth spot, while Indiana rounds out the top five in the projections.

Ohio State’s standout player, Cotie McMahon, has received significant recognition. She earned preseason All-Big Ten honors, being acknowledged as one of the conference’s elite players by both the coaches and media. Last season, McMahon was a first-team All-Big Ten selection, impressively averaging 14.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. As she enters her junior year, McMahon is poised to be the Buckeyes’ star player and one of the top talents nationally for the 2024-25 season.

In addition to McMahon, Taylor Thierry is also returning as a starter for Ohio State. The team has bolstered its lineup with two key transfers: Chance Gray, a former guard from Oregon, and Ajae Petty, a forward from Kentucky. Both are expected to make immediate impacts in the starting lineup. Adding further depth, incoming freshman Jaloni Cambridge, ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, is anticipated to play a significant role from the outset. Additionally, sixth-year senior Madison Greene, who previously started before suffering two season-ending knee injuries, is likely to see an expanded role in the backcourt after contributing off the bench last season.

Ohio State is aiming for back-to-back conference championships after securing the regular season title last year. The competition will be intense, with both USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten as national championship contenders. USC boasts Big Ten preseason player of the year JuJu Watkins and Stanford transfer Kiki Iriafen, while UCLA features returning stars Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice; all four players were honored as All-Pac-12 selections last season.

While Ohio State has yet to release its full non-conference schedule, they will kick off their season at home against Cleveland State on November 5. The Buckeyes will then begin conference play with a home game against Illinois on December 8.

This season promises to be a thrilling journey for Ohio State women’s basketball as they strive to defend their title amidst fierce competition.