Columbus, Ohio, isn’t exactly the most welcoming place for Ann Arbor natives. Boos and heckles are the most common form of greeting for those hailing from the Wolverines’ stomping grounds.

But Huron High School graduate Shavelle Little, a senior point guard for the Ohio State University women’s basketball team and 2-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has done plenty on the court to make the Buckeye faithful change their ways.

At halftime of the Buckeyes’ 84-47 win over Wright State on Dec. 15, Little was honored for what she’s been able to accomplish off of it, as she received her bachelor’s degree in criminology in a surprise graduation ceremony for one.

Because the sixth-ranked Buckeyes were on the road the previous weekend, Little missed out on the formal cap and gown ceremony and figured she’d simply pick up her degree at a later date. Folks inside the athletic department had other plans, arranging for Little’s family, unbeknownst to Shavelle, to be on hand for halftime of the Wright State contest.

“I was so shocked and surprised,” said Little, who noticed a fan near the court who looked an awful lot like her niece when exiting the tunnel at halftime. Minutes later she found out that it actually was her niece, along with 7 other members of her extended family, who made the trip from Ann Arbor to see her receive her degree.

“They did a pretty good job of keeping the whole thing a secret from me,” Little said, adding that head coach Jim Foster helped execute the smoke screen. “He screamed my name and I turned around, and he distracted me pretty well. I wasn’t even paying attention to everything else going on then I look up and it’s my whole family there.”

“Shavelle knows my tone by now,” joked Foster, who according to the Ohio State athletic department has graduated every player he’s coached in his 32-year career. “It’s her fourth year, so I know there’s a certain way to say something to get her full attention, and she knows how to respond.”

It was a special moment in more ways than one for Little and her family. They hadn’t all been together since Shavelle’s grandmother, a long-time school teacher in Ann Arbor, passed away over the summer.

“She always preached how important education was and I was always pushed by that. She passed, and it still kind of hurts,” said Little, who was surprised her emotions didn’t get the best of her during the ceremonies. “I was gonna cry, but then I was so happy. I was overpowered with smiles.”

Little was able to complete her degree in 3 1/2 years, a feat for any student, let alone one with the demanding schedule of a Division I athlete. Little said declaring a major right away, and hitting the books year-round helped her reach her academic goals ahead of time.

“The biggest transition our athletes make at this level is time management and that’s never been an area of concern with Shavelle,” said Foster. “She has had a goal in mind in pursuing more than just basketball and does everything she has to accomplish that.”

Though Little’s minutes have been reduced this season with the emergence of freshman dynamo Tayler Hill, Foster insists she will be vital to the Buckeyes’ run for a sixth consecutive Big Ten title because, even if coming off the bench “there are still X number of guards who have a fear of playing against her.”

Little’s immediate future includes working for the campus police department, applying for graduate schools (she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in communications in the fall), and, of course, helping the Buckeyes improve upon their 12-1 record. As for a third consecutive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award…

“I don’t think about that kind of stuff when I come into the locker room,” Little said. “It can be a goal, but I just want to help my team win.”

If you have information to share on other local athletes who have gone on to participate in college athletics, please send an e-mail to petercunningham@annarbor.com, or call 734-623-2561. Follow Pete Cunningham on Twitter @petcunningham.