Wiese, inducted into the Hall of Fame last year with fourth-year assistant Deven Hunter and their 2016 Final Four teammates, joins the staff immediately and will be on the road recruiting this weekend.
“Syd is an Oregon State legend. 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. She is, once again, the perfect person at the perfect time. I am excited to welcome her back to Oregon State Women’s Basketball,” Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck said.
“I could not be more excited to come home as an assistant coach,” Wiese said. “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.”
The Oregon State legend joins the team after a successful professional career that saw her play five WNBA seasons while logging time internationally in Spain, Italy and Turkey. Most recently, Wiese played for Emlak Konut Istanbul, averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game in Turkish league play while contributing 10.8 points and 3.8 assists per game in six EuroCup contests.
In the WNBA, Wiese was the 11th overall pick of the 2017 draft as the first round selection for the LA Sparks. She played for both the Sparks and Washington Mystics before sustaining an injury that sidelined her for the 2022-23 season.
Wiese started her coaching career as an assistant at Bella Vista College Prep while rehabbing the injury. She helped develop seven players who went on to play collegiately, including four at the Division I level.
While at Bella Vista, Wiese assisted with practice planning and player development with a focus on the team’s guards. As a team, the Bears won the 2023 Grind Season – a tournament featuring prep schools from across the country.
As a player for the Beavers, Wiese helped OSU reach new heights with back-to-back-to-back Pac-12 Championships and a trip to the 2016 Final Four. The Beavs made the NCAA Tournament and won at least one postseason game in all four of her years in Orange and Black. As a freshman, Wiese’s 26 points helped OSU to its first NCAA Tournament win in 29 years and her decisive free throw pushed OSU past Baylor to reach the Final Four.
Wiese was an All-American as a senior and left Corvallis as a four-year All-Pac-12 honoree. She is one of only 20 Pac-12 players to earn all-league honors four times and one of two Beavers alongside Tanja Kostic.
In OSU history, Wiese owns the school records for career assists and career and single-season three-pointers. She ranks fifth in career scoring, fourth in three-point percentage. Wiese is one of four players at Oregon State to record a triple-double.
