Oregon State women’s basketball coach Scott Rueck announced Thursday that Oregon State Hall of Famer and four-time All-Pac 12 athlete Sydney Wiese will rejoin the Beavers as an assitsnat coach beginning in the upcoming 2024-25 season.
“Syd is an Oregon State legend,” Rueck said in a statement. “Her success on the court, endearing qualities to the fan base and the person she was to our community cemented her as one of the best to ever play in our program and we are thrilled that she is choosing to come home. After graduating and being a first round pick in the WNBA Draft, she has been a high-level player in the best basketball leagues all over the world.”
“Sydney thrived at building relationships with teammates, coaches and fans while she was here and there is no doubt her transition to coaching will be seamless in all aspects,” Rueck continued. “She is, once again, the perfect person at the perfect time. I am excited to welcome her back to Oregon State Women’s Basketball.”
As a Beaver, Wiese helped OSU become a mainstay in the world of college basketball with back-to-back-to-back Pac-12 Championships and a trip to the 2016 NCAA Final Four.
Wiese spent four years as a Beaver from 2013 to 2017 under Rueck where she started in 129 of 131 games. In her freshman year, Wiese averaged 14.3 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while playing 34.2 minutes.
That same year, Wiese’s 26 points against Middle Tennesse helped lead OSU to its first NCAA Tournament win since 1995 and sealed the game against Baylor with a free throw that pushed OSU to reach the Final Four.
She ended her freshman campaign 16th in the Pac-12 in scoring, 12th in field goal percentage (.447), fifth in asists, first in 3-point field goal percentage (.424) and first in 3-point field goals made (112).
In her final year in Corvallis, Wiese averaged 15.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 34.5 minutes, earning her the honor of being a Wooden Award All-American, Wooden Award Finalist, Naismith Trophy Semifinalist and Wooden Award
In the 2017 WNBA Draft, Wiese was drafted No. 11 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks where she spent four season from 2017-2020. In her rookie season with the Sparks, Wiese averaged 2.3 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.3 asists in a little under 8 minutes.
In her best season with the Sparks in 2020, Wiese averaged 6.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 asists and 0.6 steals in 19.1 minutes. This same year, Wiese ended the season 4th in three-point percentage (.472).
“I could not be more excited to come home as an assistant coach,” Wiese said in a statement. “Even as I have been away- playing in different cities, living in different countries- I have never felt more at home than in Corvallis. Through prayer and conviction rooted in deep belief toward this university, it is a privilege to commit to Oregon State a second time- as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball program. I love this university. I believe in this program. And there is no support better than Beaver Nation.”
Amara Bullard is a Marketing + Media student at Loyola University in Chicago aspiring to work in basketball operations.
