Syracuse women’s basketball: guard Olivia Schmitt announces commitment to the Orange

Just days after landing top-ranked prospect Keira Scott, coach Felisha Legette-Jack and the Syracuse Orange women’s basketball team secured its second commitment from the class of 2024.

Olivia Schmitt, a 5-foot-6 scoring guard out of the DME Academy (Daytona Beach, FL) announced her commitment to the Orange Wednesday afternoon via Twitter.

Schmitt, who previously played for Staten Island Academy before transferring to the DME Academy in April 2022, is averaging 12.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.1 steals in 17 games this season as a high school junior.

Assuming she maintains her commitment, Schmitt gives Syracuse a reliable two-way wing that fits perfectly in FLJ’s zone scheme that emphasizes perimeter pressure and causes enough chaos to generate turnovers and fastbreak opportunities. Her efficiency as a whole, but especially from three, is intriguing. Schmitt is shooting 40% from three on 84 total attempts in 17 games this season, an average of 4.9 three-point attempts per game. For context, that would be the second-highest volume on this year’s Orange behind star guard Dyaisha Fair and first in efficiency of any Syracuse player who took at least 50 three-pointers this season.

The two biggest concerns would be her ability to attack the basket (she’s only taken 36 free throw attempts in 17 games, or 2.1 attempts per game) and to see if the defense is ready for the ACC where star guards are vital to program success.

(Side note: absolutely love the first impression of quotes I found on this page. Schmitt sounds like she has an FLJ-level of work ethic and personality.

She becomes the fourth high-school prospect to sign with the Orange after the coaching transition following Scott, Sophie Burrows, and Alyssa Latham.