Kelsey Mitchell made the Big Ten voters look like geniuses with her stellar play this season.
The conference's preseason Player of the Year was named the actual recipient of the award on Monday afternoon by both the Big Ten's coaches and media. It is the second time Mitchell has been named the conference's best player. She also took home the award following the 2014-15 season, her freshman year.
Mitchell led the conference in scoring at 23.4 points per game and nailed 100 3-pointers to lead Ohio State to a 15-1 Big Ten record, share of the regular-season conference title and the No. 1 seed in this weekend's Big Ten Tournament.
For the second time in her career, @Kelz_Hoop has been named the Big Ten Player of the Year #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/MX7bvaGdJw
— OSU W Basketball (@OhioState_WBB) February 27, 2017
“I am really humbled and honored to receive this award,” Mitchell said in a press release. “I don't set individual goals of winning certain awards but I just try to get better as a player each day and do whatever I can do to help my team win. We've had a great year and my teammates have been tremendous and I can't wait to get back out on the court with them.”
Mitchell, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection, is one of six Buckeyes to earn all-conference recognition. Shayla Cooper and Stephanie Mavunga made the second team while Sierra Calhoun earned honorable mention. Tori McCoy was also named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team. Junior Linnae Harper was named the Sixth Player of the Year.
Ohio State plays the winner of Northwestern and Iowa on Friday at noon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
