Elsa Lemmil? (12) shoots the ball in Ohio State’s 88-86 overtime loss against Michigan on Feb. 25, 2026. Credit: Cassandra D’Angelo | Freelance Photographer.
Elsa Lemmil?’s defense has caused problems for opponents throughout her career as a Buckeye.?
A season ago, Lemmil? led the Big Ten in blocks, helping Ohio State host its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament regional.
Now entering her junior season, developing confidence in her offensive game became a priority during the offseason.
“[Confidence was] one of the things that I lacked most,” Lemmil? said. “Having the opportunity to play throughout the summer in [Columbus] and with my national team has instilled a lot of that in me.”
Lemmil? discussed taking on a more aggressive offensive role in the offseason and improving her 3-point shooting and playmaking ability.
“Shooting on the perimeter, but also being able to make quicker and better decisions on when to shoot and when to pass, is something I want to implement,” Lemmil? said.
Head coach Kevin McGuff believes this development over the offseason can transcend her play and help benefit the rest of the offense.
“I’m confident she’s capable of more than she’s shown so far,” McGuff said Sept. 21. “That’s an area where I’m hopeful that she can score from the perimeter and help stretch the defense.”
Junior guard Jaloni Cambridge, who earned second-team All-American honors last season, echoed McGuff and looks for Lemmil? to be more assertive on the offensive end.?
“She won’t have a choice this year,” Cambridge said Sept. 21. “I want [her] to shoot the ball.”
Lemmil? dealt with foot and knee injuries that plagued her during her freshman season and required surgery following the 2024-25 campaign. For the first time since arriving at Ohio State in 2024, Lemmil? entered this offseason without an injury.?
“It doesn’t feel like I’m starting from zero again, which has been really important for me, especially confidence-wise,” Lemmil??said.?
Previous injuries also limited Lemmil? opportunities with Finland’s national team, which been a member of since 2021, when she competed in the FIBA U16 Women’s European Challengers.
Playing with Finland’s national team this summer helped Lemmil??strengthen her interior scoring and physicality, two areas she said she hopes to carry into the upcoming season.
“What I took from [the experience] was being stronger on the inside,” Lemmil??said. “My freshman year, I wasn’t really an offensive-minded player, so I think having the confidence and being able to know that I can score in the basket has helped my growth.”
Lemmil? also emphasized the strength training she has had this offseason, which she said will help her establish a stronger presence in the post.
“Strength was a really big emphasis [this offseason], being able to stay down more instead of jumping a lot,” Lemmil??said. “I think I will be getting the ball a lot more in the post and scoring a lot more from the post than I did last season.”
