Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge earns Big Ten preseason honors
· Yahoo Sports
Another sign that the college basketball season is fast approaching came Thursday. That is when the Big Ten Conference announced the preseason awards, voted on by coaches and select members of the media. For the second season in a row, Ohio State women’s basketball point guard Jaloni Cambridge was amongst the illustrious list of basketball talent in the coast-to-coast conference.
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For the 2026-27 season, the Big Ten narrowed down the awards to two: Player of the Year and All-Big Ten. Through the 2025-26 season, voters also ranked all teams in the conference from one through 18 but discontinued it for the upcoming campaign.
Cambridge took home a spot on the All-Big Ten Team for the second season. From the media vote, which includes Land-Grant Holy Land, Cambridge earned a unanimous spot on the list of 10 athletes, alongside Michigan Wolverines guard Olivia Olson. The rivals stood alongside other conference stars like Michigan guard Syla Swords, Maryland guard Oluchi Okananwa, and the return of USC Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins.
Speaking of Watkins, the guard who missed all of last season after she suffered an ACL tear in the 2025 postseason, returned to take her spot as the Big Ten Player of the Year, after the then-freshman won the 24-25 edition of the award. Both the media and coaches selected Watkins, but neither unanimously. Last season, now WNBA center Lauren Betts of the UCLA Bruins was named unanimously for preseason Player of the Year from both camps of voters.
There are only two differences between the All-Big Ten Teams from the coaches and media, and both come with questions. At least one media voter did not think Watkins was a top-10 player in the conference, and one coach thought the same of Ohio State’s Cambridge. Watkins’ track record as All-Big Ten, Big Ten Player of the Year, and AP Player of the Year adds to the curiosity. For Cambridge, the guard made the 2025-26 First Team All-Big Ten unanimously. So, at least one coach from last year changed their mind, or a new coach may still be researching the conference.
Ohio State players featured prominently in preseason honors in recent years. Cambridge joins former Buckeyes Cotie McMahon and Jacy Sheldon as back-to-back selections to the Preseason All-Big Ten team.
Below is the full list of honorees, released by the Big Ten
2026-27 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Berry Wallace, Jr., F, Illinois
Ava Heiden, Jr., C, Iowa
Oluchi Okananwa, Sr., G, Maryland
OLIVIA OLSON, JR., G, MICHIGAN
Syla Swords, Jr., G, Michigan
Britt Prince, Jr., G, Nebraska
Jaloni Cambridge, Jr., G, Ohio State
Jazzy Davidson, So., G, USC
JUJU WATKINS, SR., G, USC
Sayvia Sellers, Sr., G, Washington
2026-27 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
2026-27 Media Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Berry Wallace, Jr., F, Illinois
Ava Heiden, Jr., C, Iowa
Oluchi Okananwa, Sr., G, Maryland
OLIVIA OLSON, JR., G, MICHIGAN
Syla Swords, Jr., G, Michigan
Britt Prince, Jr., G, Nebraska
JALONI CAMBRIDGE, JR., G, OHIO STATE
Jazzy Davidson, So., G, USC
JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
Sayvia Sellers, Sr., G, Washington
2026-27 Media Preseason Player of the Year
JuJu Watkins, Sr., G, USC
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS