Ohio State redshirt sophomore guard Emma Shumate announced Wednesday that she is entering the transfer portal after three seasons with the Buckeyes and with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“Buckeye Nation, I cannot put into words how much your persistent love and support has meant to me the past two years,” Shumate wrote. “Thank you for making my time here so special. … I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play for my home state of Ohio. I am takign some truly invaluable memories and friendships with me. … I have decided it is in my best interest to enter the transfer portal.”
Shumate spent the last three seasons at Ohio State, taking a redshirt in 2021-22 season following a transfer from West Virginia, and contributed off the bench in each of the past two seasons. She appeared in 58 games for the Buckeyes, averaging 2.8 points and 10.5 minutes per contest while shooting 33.6 percent from deep, where 119 of her 162 career field-goal attempts were launched from.
She scored a career-high 22 points this past season in a 85-45 win against Ohio University on Dec. 5, connecting on six of 10 three-point attempts, and it was one of two career games where she reached double digits. While she averaged 11.3 minutes per game in 2022-23, that fell to 9.6 minutes per game this past season, with five or fewer minutes played in 11 of her 27 appearances.
While Shumate likely would have been in line for more minutes next season, a role in the starting five was not likely with the Buckeyes expected to return Madison Greene, Kaia Henderson and Diana Collins at guard, and with a decision still to be made on a return for Rikki Harris. Ohio State is also welcoming in a highly ranked recruiting class that features shooting guard Ava Watson and five-star point guard Jaloni Cambridge, the younger sister of current Ohio State guard Kennedy Cambridge.
