Star Forward Who Received Her 1st Division Offer in 6th Grade Named Ohio Ms. Basketball

The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association on Thursday revealed its recipient of the 2026 Ohio Ms. Basketball award.

The prestigious recognition, now in its 39th year as an honor, was given to Sunbury Big Walnut star junior forward Sydney Mobley.

Mobley, a top 20 Class of 2027 recruit, is averaging 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game and shooting 58% from the field for the Golden Eagles.

She is the eighth junior in history to receive Ohio Ms. Basketball honors. The last junior recipient was Dee Alexander of Cincinnati Purcell Marian in 2024, with Vonda Ward of Garfield Heights Trinity the first-ever junior to win the award (1990).

So far in her career, Mobley has 1,485 points, 829 rebounds, 227 assists, 185 steals and 144 blocks.

“I’ve had the privilege of knowing her since she was in fourth grade, so I’ve seen the progression, and to see what it has progressed to, this type of award and achievement is pretty cool,” Big Walnut coach Carey Largent said via The Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio High School Girls Basketball -- Big Walnut Golden Eagles — Sydney Mobley, junior star forward for the Big Walnut girls basketball team in Ohio. | Big Walnut High School Athletics

Mobley has received more than 40 Division I offers throughout her prep basketball career. According to The Columbus Dispatch, her first offer came from Ohio State when she was in sixth grade.

The junior standout has whittled down her offers to the Buckeyes, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

“She’s had a lot of attention on her since she was very young,” said David Mobley, Sydney’s father, via The Columbus Dispatch. “Some kids tend to get content with where they are, but she has managed to stay the course and keep working no matter what comes.”

Mobley is a two-time All-Ohio selection and a two-time honoree for District 11 coaches, All-Central District and Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division player of the year.

Last season, Mobley averaged 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds. 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals a game.

This season, Mobley and the Golden Eagles (23-4) are set to face Mount Notre Dame in the OHSAA Division II semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday at the University of Dayton Arena.

The winner of that game will take on either Archbishop Hoban or Olmsted Falls in the state final on Saturday.

Big Walnut is looking to bounce back after they suffered an overtime loss to Winton Woods in the state semifinals last season.

“Usually people don’t want to reflect on the last game, but for us we were so close to getting to the state (final), beating Winton Woods the whole game and then we lost in the fourth quarter (and overtime),” Mobley said. “From the start of our season, in the fall with preseason workouts, we’ve been working like we’re in that Winton Woods game again.”

Finalists for the Ohio Ms. Basketball award included senior Karsyn Erford (Ottawa-Glandorf), junior Tatiana Mason (Lyndhurst Brush), senior Evelyn McKnight (Copley), senior Nylah McShan (Steubenville), senior Kayla Thornton (Fairmont) and senior Whitney Stafford (Lewis Center Olentangy).

The full list of past Ohio Ms. Basketball winners can be found here.

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