Wiese talks about how her speech communication degree helped her become a better student-athlete, professional player, and coach, on and off the court
Sydney Wiese
By Quinn Keller, CLA Student Writer - February 19, 2025
Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, Sydney Wiese, ‘17, was born into a basketball family and never stopped playing. Wiese’s first basketball experience was in a youth boys league, followed by club basketball and high school, where she excelled in leading her team to three appearances in the state high school basketball championships and becoming the 2013 Arizona high school player of the year.
During her junior year, Wiese began to hear from coaches from around the country, offering a spot on their teams, including Scott Rueck, OSU women's basketball coach.
“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to be recruited by multiple schools and have the support of my family to navigate that chaotic time,” said Wiese. “My initial conversations with Scott and OSU’s assistant coaches went far beyond compared to other colleges. I could feel the team’s energy and got a great sense of pride and vision for OSU.”
Wiese started at OSU in new media communications, with thoughts of being a basketball commentator after a professional career, but switched to speech communication after a recommendation from her teammates. The entire curriculum played to her advantage; Wiese has put to use the skills she learned from the group, nonverbal, and interpersonal communication classes everyday.
“At the root of speech communication and basketball is human connection,” explained Wiese. “The skills I learned during my time in the School of Communication helped me in my day-to-day life and were transformational for my basketball career, particularly when I went to play overseas.”
During her four years playing for OSU, Wiese scored 1,276 points, an average of 13 points per game. She also broke OSU’s records in assists and three pointers, as well setting the Pac-12 conference record for career three-pointers made. In the 2017 draft, Wiese was selected 11th by the defending WNBA Finals champions Los Angeles Sparks.
“It’s an indescribable experience being drafted,” said Wiese. “I have so much gratitude for my coaches and teammates who helped me get to that point. A huge part of why I was able to truly celebrate was because of the support system that I had through OSU.”
Wiese started and also came off the bench for the Sparks for four years, shifting from point guard to shooting guard, as well as played overseas in Australia, Israel, Spain, Italy, and Turkey during the off-season.
“There’s a world of difference between professional and college basketball,” explained Wiese. “College is more personal and relationship-based, because you’re spending time with your coaches, trainers, and teammates constantly. In a professional setting, oftentimes you show up to the office or gym for your allotted time, and then you go your separate ways after.”
In 2021, she was traded to the Washington Mystics, then devastatingly tore her ACL in 2022. During her two years of recovery, Wiese started commentating and became a youth basketball coach. She was planning to return to professional play, but a call from Rueck, asking if she’d be interested in returning to OSU to coach, changed everything.
“Coach Rueck’s call surprised me, but I was ready to take on a new challenge,” said Wiese. “It took me a lifetime to play at a high level, and now as a coach, I have to explain, demonstrate, translate, and embody what has come intuitively to me for the past two decades.”
Wiese is one of three assistant coaches on staff for the OSU women’s basketball team, including former teammate Deven Hunter, whom Wiese has stayed close with over the years. Just as OSU had recruited Wiese, Wiese is now majorly involved in recruiting incoming players, a more nuanced process from the opposite perspective. “It's been a fun challenge trying to meet players where they are, particularly considering I’ve been in their exact position. I'm learning just as they are.”
Rooted in love, Wiese talks about being as accurate and intentional when coaching the student-athletes, but not to overwhelm, as well as the consistent need to be present to create a secondary support system and “making sure that they feel loved throughout all the growing pains that come with college,” Wiese explained. “The transition from high school to college can be uncomfortable, and as long as they know that we’re coming from a genuine place, it makes my job really easy, because our top priority is taking care of them.”
“One of many things I am appreciative of for being a communications major is learning the importance of listening intently and becoming slower to respond,” Wiese explained. “I’ve had the privilege to play the roles of student, athlete, and now coach, in different countries and environments. The skills I’ve learned from speech communication can be applied time and time again, helping my ability to communicate with others.”
