Buckeyes players haul in numerous Big Ten women’s basketball awards

COLUMBUS, OH – FEBRUARY 28: The Ohio State Buckeyes Women’s Basketball team poses for a photo with the Big Ten Championship Trophy after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio on February 28, 2024. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

by: Orri Benatar

Posted: Mar 5, 2024 / 12:24 PM EST

Updated: Mar 5, 2024 / 03:31 PM EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Big Ten regular season women’s basketball champion Ohio State Buckeyes were awarded more accolades on Tuesday before the conference tournament.

The Big Ten announced the winners of its 2023-24 awards and six Ohio State players received recognition for their play during the regular season. Among the individual award winners was graduate guard Celeste Taylor, who claimed the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year award via the coaches vote. Wisconsin’s Serah Williams was selected by the media for the award.

Taylor, a New York native, transferred to Ohio State this season after two seasons with Duke, where she earned the ACC’s defensive player of the year last year. She claimed her second Power Five DPOTY award after averaging over two steals a game and a career-high 0.9 blocks a game with the Buckeyes this season.

Ohio State’s head coach Kevin McGuff was named the Big Ten coach of the year after leading the Buckeyes to the regular-season title and No. 1 seed for the conference tournament. OSU went 25-4 in the regular season which included a 15-game winning streak. McGuff has now led the Buckeyes to three straight 25-win seasons.

Graduate senior guard Jacy Sheldon and sophomore forward Cotie McMahon received first team nods while Taylor, Taylor Thierry, and Rebeka Mikulasikova also received all-conference team selections.

Player of the Year: Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Defensive Player of the Year: Celeste Taylor, Ohio State (Coaches), Serah Williams, Wisconsin (Media)
Freshman of the Year: Natalie Potts, Nebraska (Coaches), Mary Ashley Stevenson, Purdue (Media)
Sixth Player of the Year: Theryn Hallock, Michigan State
Coach of the Year: Kevin McGuff, Ohio State
All-Big Ten First Team: Jacy Sheldon, Cotie McMahon
All-Big Ten Second Team: Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention: Rebeka Mikulasikova
All-Big Ten Defensive Team: Celeste Taylor, Jacy Sheldon

As the top-seed in Minneapolis, Ohio State has a double-bye and will play its quarterfinal at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. The Buckeyes will face the winner of the second round match between No. 8 seed Maryland and No. 9 seed Illinois. The Big Ten Championship Game will be at 12 p.m. on Sunday.