Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley named 2026 Ohio Ms. Basketball

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Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley named 2026 Ohio Ms. Basketball

Dave Purpura, Columbus Dispatch · The Columbus Dispatch

Thu, Mar 12, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Focusing on academics during a week she hopes ends with her first state basketball championship, another lofty honor was the last thing on Sydney Mobley's mind when she and her Big Walnut teammates were called to the school gymnasium March 10.

With Mobley's parents, David and Andrea, among a small group awaiting the Golden Eagles, Sydney was announced as this season's Ms. Basketball award winner as voted on by members of the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.

The news was made public at noon March 12.

"I was very surprised because I just came from math class, but I was really excited to hear that," said Mobley, a 6-foot-2 junior forward. "I've worked so hard. I was just really happy to hear that."

Big Walnut junior forward Sydney Mobley, a highly ranked player both statewide and nationally, added another achievement to her resume March 12 when she was named Ohio Ms. Basketball.

Averaging 20.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists, Mobley has led Big Walnut (23-4) to its second consecutive Division II state tournament . The Golden Eagles face Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame (26-0) in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. March 13 at Vandalia Butler.

Mobley is a two-time first-team all-state honoree and this year's Central District Player of the Year . She enters the state tournament with 1,485 points, 829 rebounds, 227 assists, 185 steals and 144 blocks for her career.

Mobley helped Olentangy to its first regional tournament in 26 years as a freshman, then transferred to Big Walnut before her sophomore year and led the Golden Eagles to state for the first time. Owner of 42 college offers, including Ohio State, Mobley is a four-star recruit and the top player statewide, according to both ESPN and 247Sports.

The Ohio Ms. Basketball award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988. It has been voted on by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association since 2017.

Mobley is the fourth Columbus-area player to win Ms. Basketball and first since Brookhaven's Brittany Hunter in 2003. The others, Latoya Turner (1999) and Beth Ostendorf (1995), played at Pickerington.

The eighth junior to win the award, Mobley pulled away in the voting. She earned 93 points, well ahead of runner-up and Ohio State commit Tatiana Mason from Lyndhurst Brush (59).

Kettering Fairmont's Kayla Thornton was third (37) and Olentangy point guard and Kent State signee Whitney Stafford was fourth (32).

"It's so exciting," Big Walnut coach Carey Largent said. "When you watch a kid work like she's worked … 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."

The Big Walnut-Mount Notre Dame winner will play Akron Hoban or Olmsted Falls in the state final at 5:15 p.m. March 14 at University of Dayton Arena.

"It's been a crazy ride," Mobley said. "I am so glad that as a team, we've come together and we're getting more and more locked in every day as we approach these next two games."

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (14) shoots the ball against Bishop Watterson in the second half of the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Lexi Federer (2), Remy Largent (12), Sydney Mobley (14), and Jozie Syroka (4) celebrates after defeating Bishop Watterson in the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley looks to pass Jan. 24, 2025, at Big Walnut. (photo by John Hulkenberg)
(John Hulkenberg/Columbus Dispatch, John Hulkenberg/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Big Walnut’s Sydney Mobley cuts the net following her team’s 67-54 win over Worthington Kilbourne in a Division II regional final March 6 at Morral Ridgedale.
(Frank DiRenna/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (left), Kamy Largent and Lexi Federer accept the Division II regional championship trophy from Thomas Worthington athletic director and Central District representative Molly Feesler on March 6 at Morral Ridgedale.
(Frank DiRenna/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (14) catches a pass in the second half of the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (14) reacts at the end of the second half of the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (14) shoots the ball in the second half of the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley (14) cuts the net after defeating Bishop Watterson in the OHSAA girls basketball district final game at Taft Coliseum on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
(Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) grabs a rebound from Bishop Watterson's Alexandria Mosholder (10) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) grabs a rebound over Bishop Watterson's Lilly Mulligan (24) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) shoots over Bishop Watterson's Sophie Ziel (1) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Dec 13, 2023; Lewis Center, Ohio, USA; Westerville Central's Sophia Roush (2) goes up for a layup against Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) during their game on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 at Olentangy High School.
(Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Denza Allen (left), Lexi Federer, Sydney Mobley, Remy Largent and Jozie Syroka wait to be introduced Jan. 24, 2025, at Big Walnut. (photo by John Hulkenberg)
(John Hulkenberg/Columbus Dispatch, John Hulkenberg/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) takes the opening tipoff against Bishop Watterson's Cameron Sparks (25) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley looks to pass Jan. 24, 2025, at Big Walnut. (photo by John Hulkenberg)
(John Hulkenberg/Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Bishop Watterson's Lilly Mulligan (24) is defended under the basket by Olentangy's Mia Chirpas (33), Sydney Mobley (14) and Meryl Kolath (1) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Dec 13, 2023; Lewis Center, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) goes up for the layup against Westerville Central's Ella Martin (12) during their game on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023 at Olentangy High School.
(Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Bishop Watterson's Lilly Mulligan (24) fights for a rebound with Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) high fives Whitney Stafford (12) prior to the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal against Watterson at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch, Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Mar 5, 2024; Westerville, Ohio, USA; Olentangy's Sydney Mobley (14) shoots between Bishop Watterson's Sophie Ziel (1) and Cameron Sparks (25) during the OHSAA girls basketball regional semifinal at the Otterbein University Rike Center.
(Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio Ms. Basketball winners

2026 – Sydney Mobley, Big Walnut, junior

2025 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, senior

2024 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, junior

2023 – Dee Alexander, Cincinnati Purcell Marian, sophomore

2022 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior

2021 – KK Bransford, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, junior

2020 – Madeline Westbeld, Kettering Fairmont, senior

2019 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, senior

2018 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, junior

2017 – Kierstan Bell, Canton McKinley, sophomore

2016 – Jensen Caretti, Hannibal River, senior

2015 – Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls, senior

2014 – Kelsey Mitchell, Cincinnati Princeton, senior

2013 – Ashley Morrissette, Twinsburg, senior

2012 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, senior

2011 – Ameryst Alston, Canton McKinley, junior

2010 – Natasha Howard, Toledo Waite, senior

2009 – Kendall Hackney, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior

2008 – Amber Gray, West Chester Lakota West, senior

2007 – Jantel Lavender, Cleveland Central Catholic, senior

2006 – Tyra Grant, Youngstown Ursuline, senior

2005 – Maria Getty, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior

2004 – Mel Thomas, Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, senior

2003 – Brittany Hunter, Brookhaven, senior

2002 – Barbara Turner, Cleveland East Tech, senior

2001 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, senior

2000 – Michelle Munoz, Mason, junior

1999 – (TIE) Kaayla Chones, Eastlake North, senior; LaToya Turner, Pickerington, senior

1998 – Tamika Williams, Dayton Chaminade-Julienne, senior

1997 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Heights Trinity, senior

1996 – Semeka Randall, Garfield Heights Trinity, junior

1995 – Beth Ostendorf, Pickerington, senior

1994 – Na'Sheema Hillmon, Garfield Heights Trinity, senior

1993 – Marlene Stollings, Beaver Eastern, senior

1992 – Katie Smith, Logan, senior

1991 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Heights Trinity, senior

1990 – Vonda Ward, Garfield Heights Trinity, junior

1989 – Carol Madsen, Reading, senior

1988 – Janet Haneberg, Cincinnati Seton, senior

(This story has been updated to add a photo gallery.)

High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2026 Ohio Ms. Basketball awarded to Big Walnut's Sydney Mobley

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