An Ohio State women’s basketball legend is returning to the Buckeyes as an assistant coach.
Ohio State announced Monday that Katie Smith, one of the greatest players in program history, is joining Kevin McGuff’s staff as an assistant coach after more than a decade of coaching in the WNBA.
Katie Smith is back in Scarlet & Gray
— Ohio State Womens Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) November 11, 2024
Buckeye Nation, welcome back a LEGEND to our staff as an assistant coach
https://t.co/IFQVoFKLm5#GoBucks | #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/UmiURZFmRH
Another Ohio State great is also rejoining the program as Jacy Sheldon, who just completed her rookie season with the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, has been hired as the Buckeyes’ director of player development.
She couldnt stay away
— Ohio State Womens Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) November 11, 2024
Welcome back to one of the best to ever do it in an Ohio State uniform.
Our new Director of Player Development, Jacy Sheldon
https://t.co/55h6pW3Lf1#GoBucks | #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/0Qq5PWCI0U
“I'm extremely excited to add both Jacy and Katie to the staff,” McGuff said in a statement. “As former Buckeyes they both possess a passion for this program that will be instrumental in helping us continue to compete at the highest level of women's college basketball. Together they will have a big presence in the community as we proceed with growing our already incredible fan base.”
Smith had an illustrious career for the Buckeyes from 1992-96. She started her career by leading Ohio State to a Big Ten championship and the NCAA championship game as a freshman, earning All-American honors in the process. She earned All-Big Ten honors in each of her final three seasons with the Buckeyes, earning All-American honors again in 1996 while also earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors.
She scored 2,578 points as a Buckeye, finishing her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer. At the time of graduation, Smith was also Ohio State’s all-time leader in made three-pointers (218), three-point percentage (.387), made free throws (708) and free throw percentage (.838), among other records.
Smith became the first player in Ohio State women’s basketball history to have her number retired when her No. 30 was raised to the rafters of the Schottenstein Center in 2001.
Following her career with the Buckeyes, Smith went on to play professionally for 18 seasons. She won two WNBA championships and was a seven-time WNBA All-Star while she also helped lead the U.S. Olympic team to gold medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for her accomplishments as a player in 2018.
After playing her final WNBA season with the New York Liberty in 2013, Smith became an assistant coach for the Liberty from 2014-17, then became their head coach for two seasons. She’s been the associate head coach of the Minnesota Lynx since 2020, helping lead the team to a WNBA Finals appearance this past season.
Now, the Logan, Ohio native is returning to her roots to join the coaching staff at her alma mater, where she joins a staff of assistant coaches that also includes Carla Morrow, Jalen Powell and Ryan Murray. Smith fills the spot vacated on the coaching staff by Wesley Brooks, who left the Buckeyes in April to become the head coach at Utah State.
"I'm both excited and grateful to return to my alma mater, Ohio State, and to the city my family and I proudly call home," Smith said in a statement. "Ohio State and its women's basketball program played such a pivotal role in my journey and I am honored to have the opportunity to give back to the program that helped shape me. I look forward to joining Coach McGuff and the entire staff in guiding and supporting these talented young women as they chase their dreams. Together, we're committed to building on Ohio State's proud legacy and taking our program to championship levels in a fiercely competitive Big Ten. I can't wait to see and connect with the Buckeye community – around town and at our games. Go Bucks!"
A two-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree at Oho State, Sheldon completed her Ohio State career last season by leading the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship and earning second-team All-American honors. In her new role as director of player development, Sheldon will work alongside the coaching staff to develop individualized player development plans for each player on and off the court and serve as a mentor to the Buckeyes’ players.
"I'm so excited to have the opportunity to contribute to a program that did so much for me as a player and a person," Sheldon said in a statement. "As someone who has so much love and respect for this university and this program, I'm grateful to be around this program beyond my playing years."
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Sheldon will continue to play in the WNBA while working for the Buckeyes. In her rookie season with the Wings, Sheldon averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 40 games.
Smith and Sheldon will participate in their first game as members of McGuff’s staff on Tuesday as the Buckeyes host Charlotte in their second game of the season at the Schottenstein Center (6 p.m., B1G+). Ohio State, which moved up to No. 12 in the AP Top 25 on Monday, is 1-0 this season after earning a 104-69 win over Cleveland State in its season opener last Tuesday.
