The legacy Jacy Sheldon left at Ohio State matches the program's impact on her family
From the legacy that Jacy Sheldon left on the court to the light that her younger sister Emmy Sheldon brought to the sidelines, the Sheldon family has been an integral part of the Ohio State women's basketball program over the past five seasons.
Jacy Sheldon's time as a Buckeye helped pave her path to the WNBA. In the draft, she was selected fifth by the Dallas Wings. She leaves Ohio State sixth all-time in scoring with 2,024 career points and on multiple other program top-10 lists such as 3-pointers and steals.
"I was there for a minute, and I got to experience Buckeye nation," Jacy said. "It's an honor to put on that jersey every day. It's an honor to play in front of Buckeye nation every night."
Jacy and her family made the move from northeast Ohio to Dublin in 2015 when her father, Duane Sheldon, became the athletic director at Dublin Coffman. It was there Jacy became a top-50 recruit in the class of 2019.
Both Duane and Laura Sheldon could tell that their oldest daughter had the ability and competitiveness to become an All-American. As longtime Buckeyes fans, seeing that come to fruition at the university they long supported made it even more special.
"She was always rated very high and recruited very heavily," Duane said. "I think Jacy's never been much for social media stuff and all that, and she just kind of let her play speak for itself. So, I personally knew she has some abilities that separate her, just her speed and quickness and athleticism."
The decision to stay local for Jacy was a combination of wanting to be close to home, specifically to be near Emmy due to their close bond, and knowing there was a role for her in Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff's system.
There were hardships throughout Jacy's OSU career, whether it be an injury, the school's self-imposed postseason ban or the pandemic, but she remained loyal and decided to return for a fifth season rather than enter the draft in 2023. The result: Ohio State won its first outright Big Ten regular-season title since 2010 with Jacy as the team's leading scorer.
"That's Jacy. She gets it, she knows what it takes," Laura said. "And she's going to try to do everything she can ... in order to get to that top level."
Being close to Ohio State's campus, Jacy's parents realize the privilege they've had, being able to attend most of their daughter's collegiate home matchups.
It would have been difficult ask if she had played anywhere else, as they both work full-time jobs Coffman (Laura is a physical education teacher) and had two teenagers still at home up until recently − Emmy and their son Ajay Sheldon, who just finished his freshman season playing basketball at Ohio University.
Recognizing Jacy's hard work and dedication, the women's basketball community came to embrace the standout guard and her family. It is one of the reasons why being a Buckeye has become so ingrained in her life.
"I think one of the biggest adjustments for Jacy is going to be not being a Buckeye anymore," Duane said. "Not playing for Ohio State anymore. That could be, probably something you won't see, but I think that might be inside of her. ... She's not doing it with the scarlet and gray on anymore."
More Jacy and the Buckeyes: Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball: Jacy Sheldon, Cotie McMahon have lasting bond
Emmy Sheldon: 'An environment like that for Emmy, is immeasurable'
The day Jacy stepped on the court for the first time as a Buckeye was the day the Ohio State's program gained its most vibrant fan, Emmy.
Now 16 years old, Emmy, who has Down syndrome, is Jacy's younger sister. She could always be seen at Ohio State home games sitting next to her parents, cheering and dancing during every timeout. While fans of the program quickly gained a soft spot for Emmy, her parents saw Emmy raising awareness to the light people with special needs can bring.
"The fact that we were just able to go to as many games as possible, we do feel so blessed that we were able to do that," Laura said. "Follow the team so closely and feel almost like a part of the family because of it and because of Emmy. ... That was awesome for her too."
By the end of Jacy's collegiate career, it seemed as though Emmy was as well-known as her older sister.
On a trip to the mall with her dad, Emmy was stopped by multiple Buckeyes fans wanting to say hello, without Jacy there. And when her and her parents took the road trip to watch the team face Iowa in March, Emmy might have been the only person wearing an Ohio State shirt that Hawkeye fans wanted to take a picture with.
The bond Emmy would form with Jacy's teammates made an even bigger impact, as she became the Buckeyes' "why."
"We want to keep a connection with them because those girls were so great within her family and with Emmy," Laura said. "To be in an environment like that for Emmy, is immeasurable, like you can't put a price tag on that. That's something that she will always remember."
Without Jacy on the court for Ohio State, Duane, Laura and Emmy will likely not be at as many games as they have been the past five years. However, the embrace the Sheldon family has received from the women's basketball community has made it a priority for them to try to attend at least some games next season.
When Ohio State lost to Duke in the NCAA Tournament this year, it put a disappointing end to Jacy's Ohio State career. For as hard as that was on Jacy, it hurt Laura just as much to see her daughter go through that experience. But what helped her were the messages the family received from fans the following days.
"You're kind of geared in on that loss and what could have been," Laura said. "But other people reaching out, whether it was through texts or in person at the game or in person somewhere else, kind of brings you back to the whole picture, the whole embodies the whole five-year period."
From Ohio State Buckeye to Dallas Wing: 'It'll almost feel more like she's going to college for real'
As Jacy sets her sights on making the roster in Dallas, Duane and Laura have no doubts regarding their daughter's abilities and work ethic, but they realize the challenge ahead.
Even if Jacy does hit a roadblock, they feel it will be another chip on her shoulder to motivate her to work even harder, such as the loss to Duke did.
"She is always working at her game and always working on her body," Duane said. "We encouraged her to take a little bit of a break. We might have got a few days out of her, and that's it. So, she's just continued to do what she's always done and ramped it up a little bit."
When discussing the attributes that led the Wings to select Jacy, president and CEO Greg Bibb mentioned her 3-point shooting ability and her skills on the defensive end.
While Bibb feels the physicality of the WNBA will be an adjustment for the 5-foot-10 Sheldon, what he really likes is knowledge and ability to "speak the game," which he notes comes from both her parents having coaching backgrounds.
"The relationship with her sister is extraordinary and extra special," Bibb added. "I'm really excited to not only get Jacy to Dallas, but to get the family to Dallas and get to know the family a little bit as well, including her sister. And I'm pretty sure we probably already have a Wings jersey on the way up to Dublin."
That's a 1,040-mile journey, and points to what will maybe be the biggest adjustment Jacy will now have to make. She will be the farthest she's ever been from home.
When Laura dropped Jacy off at Ohio State for the first time, it was with the knowledge that she was less than 30 minutes away. Jacy could drive home to see everyone, or just to give Emmy, who is a big hugger, a hug.
"She still will make phone calls or FaceTime Emmy," Laura said. "She's just really good at keeping in touch. Now as her mom I'll miss going do things together, that kind of thing. That'll be hard, it'll almost feel more like she's going to college for real."
The WNBA season takes place mostly during the summer, so the goal for the family is to make it to Dallas for a few games while everyone is on vacation.
Jacy knows that leaving both her family and Ohio State is just a part of the next stage in her life. It might be hard no longer being able to drive to her family's home whenever she wants and no longer wearing the Buckeyes' jersey on the court, but she is ready for the change.
"Ohio State is near and dear to my heart forever. I'm a Buckeye fan for life," Jacy said. "I think this place has done so much for me. I hope I did a little bit for the university as well."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Laura and Duane Sheldon reflect the career Jacy Sheldon had at OSU
