Ohio State Buckeyes' Key Returner to Represent Team USA in World Cup

Cotie McMahon is ready to represent her country again.

Jul 19, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team USA U23 player Cotie McMahon (9) shoots the ball against Team USA player Cierra Burdick (7) in the 3x3 showcase during the WNBA All-Star Skills Night at the Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Ohio State Buckeyes will be sending their top returner to represent her country again.

Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon will represent Team USA in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, later this month in the FIBBA 3x3 U23 Basketball World Cup, USA Basketball announced Tuesday.

McMahon, who earned an Associated Press All-American honorable mention as a sophomore a season ago, is the top returning scorer for the Buckeyes in the upcoming 2024-25 season. The six-foot shooting forward put up 14.4 points on 46 percent shooting and a team-high 6.3 rebounds a season ago en route to being named to the First-Team All-Big Ten.

The Centerville, Ohio, native will be joined by Azana Baines from Sedis Cadi La Seu, Spain; Sania Feagin from South Carolina and Harmoni Turner from Harvard Sept. 11-15. St. Andrew's School head coach Christina Batastini will be at the helm for Team USA.

McMahon making us proud yet again representing the Stars & Stripes ‼️

USA Basketball announced today the teams set to compete at the 2024 FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup Sept. 11-15 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 🏀🇺🇸
⁰📝 https://t.co/oF7uCanU06 pic.twitter.com/s89g4OyrJd

— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) September 3, 2024

Once McMahon returns from Mongolia, she will begin to attempt to lead the Buckeyes to back-to-back regular season conference titles. She will be joined by senior forward Taylor Thierry, an all-conference Second Team honoree the past two seasons.

Although the Buckeyes lost their top leaders to the pros in guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor, head coach Kevin McGuff has surrounded McMahon and Thierry with dominant, young weapons.

Ohio State brought in five freshmen for the upcoming season — Ava Watson and Jaloni Cambridge in the backcourt and Elsa Lemmilä, Ella Hobbs and Seini Henry in the frontcourt. In addition, the team brought in Kentucky big Ajae Petty and Oregon guard Chance Gray to round out a veteran presence.

McMahon's journey in 3x3 will begin Sept. 11.