Nobody on the Ohio State women’s basketball team knows Kennedy Cambridge better than her younger sister. So when the two Buckeyes stood shoulder to shoulder about an hour before the first official practice of the fall, the way Jaloni Cambridge spoke of the fifth-year senior merited a follow-up question or two.
As a sophomore, Jaloni Cambridge earned second-team All-America awards after putting up the fourth-most points in a single season in program history. With another year under her belt, the prolific younger Cambridge sister is comfortably tracking toward another impressive season.
But if you talk to her, she’ll be quick to tell you that she’s not the Cambridge to look out for in 2026-27.
“Just telling you guys right now, this is her year,”
Jaloni Cambridge said. “I’m going to say it so she doesn’t have to say it; that’s how proud I am of her and how much confidence I have in her. This is going to be a great year and I’m super excited for her.”
Preseason prognostications are notoriously fickle. It’s the time of year for hyperbole, for making guesses or attempting to speak a desired outcome into existence. Jaloni Cambridge’s thoughts about her older sister immediately begged the question: Why is this going to be her year?
Gesturing to her left, she pointed to Kennedy Cambridge’s scarlet tank top.
“I don’t know if you see her muscles; she’s wearing that shirt for a reason,” she said. “She hasn’t taken it off all summer. She’s really been working her butt off.”
Those hard-earned gains are what the elder Cambridge, now in her fifth and final season of college basketball, hopes will make for a more well-rounded and impactful year. In 2025-26, Kennedy Cambridge set a program record with 130 steals, was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team and finished as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Last year’s theft total finished 11 shy of tying the Big Ten single-season record set by Northwestern’s Ashley Deary in 2015-16. Kennedy Cambridge has that number squarely in her sights in 2026-27, but grabbing a few more basketballs doesn’t quite summarize her personal ambitions.
The Buckeyes return four of their five starters from last season. Chance Gray is playing in the WNBA after averaging 14.7 points per game and shooting 40.5% from 3-point range for OSU in 2025-26, and Kennedy Cambridge sees part of her role as replacing that production.
“[Coach Kevin] McGuff has instilled in me that you see the goal, you shoot it,” she said. “I know last year there were a bunch of times I hesitated or tried to get other people involved, but me being a senior and a super senior at that, someone’s got to step up. I’m not helping my team if I’m giving up shots.”
In 35 games, all starts, she averaged 9.0 points while shooting 30.2% from deep on the fourth-most attempts on the team (29 for 96). McGuff said there’s more to be had from her on the offensive end.
“A lot of people saw how good she is on the defensive end and what a good fit she is here for how we play,” he said, “but she also had a good offensive year and I think she’s going to take a step on that end of the floor and be even more assertive as an offensive player here. She’s really grown by leaps and bounds since she came to us and she’s worked really hard to be in position to have a great year.”
That also includes becoming a more versatile ball handler. Kennedy Cambridge said she spent much of the summer working “to find my left hand” while bringing the ball up the court. Before she could finish talking about that, her sister had to interject again.
“She did find it,” Jaloni Cambridge said.
As many strides as Kennedy Cambridge makes offensively, however, there will always be big expectations of her on the other end of the floor. In fact, when asked about her own individual goals, Jaloni Cambridge first said she has one for her big sister – “DPOY,” or defensive player of the year.
“That is my goal,” she said.
Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social, on Instagram at @cdadamjardyor on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘This is her year’: Why Ohio State's Kennedy Cambridge could reach new heights
