Scarlet Sunrise: Eboni Walker granted sixth year of eligibility, returning to Ohio State for 2024-25

Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.

Eboni Walker granted sixth year of eligibility, returning to Ohio State for 2024-25

Ohio State women’s basketball will have a new look next season. Perhaps most notably, the Buckeyes graduated WNBA Draft picks Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor but recently added Oregon transfer guard Chance Gray and Kentucky transfer forward Ajae Petty, both of whom could be starters in 2024-25.

Head coach Kevin McGuff’s team will still have some key familiar faces, though.

Add Eboni Walker to that list.

Walker announced on social media earlier this week that she was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and will return to the Buckeyes for one final season.

Although the 6-foot graduate forward used her COVID year in 2023-24, she received a medical redshirt for her only season at Syracuse, a 2021-22 campaign in which she suffered a season-ending injury after just six games.

Walker transferred to Ohio State after that injury-riddled season. The Las Vegas native and Centennial High School product began her career, however, at Arizona State, where she averaged 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds as a freshman and 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds as a sophomore. She started nine games for the Sun Devils along the way.

Her most notable season came at Ohio State. In her first year with the program, she started 11 games and appeared in 34 total, helping the Buckeyes reach their first Elite Eight since 1993. She averaged 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the floor. Walker’s best game of the season took the form of a 15-point, seven-rebound outburst in an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 win over North Carolina.

She saw her role decrease this past season, as she averaged a career-low 10.5 minutes per game in just 23 appearances. She posted 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest in the process.

That said, Walker is still running things back with the Buckeyes. Ohio State also graduated centers Rebeka Mikulasikova and Taiyier Parks, so the depth Walker will provide in the frontcourt will be key.

McGuff is also welcoming Elsa Lemmilä, Ella Hobbs and Seini Henry, a trio of freshman frontcourt players, who are part of a now-14-member Buckeyes roster.

Ohio State has one roster spot remaining.

Ranking Ohio State football’s offensive position groups by depth

Now that the spring season is over, it’s a good time to take stock of Ohio State’s burgeoning depth.

Lettermen Row is ranking the Buckeyes’ offensive position groups by depth. Unsurprisingly, the wide receivers are at the top of the list, and the addition of phenom true freshman Jeremiah Smith is a big reason why.

But which position group is next, and who rounds out the list?

Find out here.

What to expect this weekend in Ohio State recruiting

The contact period — meaning a window where coaches can take the road and high school recruits can visit campuses — opened on Monday. Ohio State coaches are expected to hit the recruiting trail this weekend.

Lettermen Row has the latest on what that could mean for the Buckeyes, plus an update on five-star Bellefontaine (Ohio) quarterback and Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair, who will participate in the  Elite 11 regional in Upper Arlington, Ohio, with a chance to book a trip to the Elite 11 finals in Los Angeles.

Get all that recruiting knowledge here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 134 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 225 days

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