The Ohio State women’s basketball program and head coach Kevin McGuff announced a pair of additions to his staff. Katie Smith (’96) joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach and Jacy Sheldon (’24) will serve as the director of player development.
As the director of player development, Sheldon will play a pivotal role in enhancing student-athlete growth both on and off the court. She will work closely with the coaching staff, athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coaches to develop and implement comprehensive, individualized player development plans. Sheldon will serve as a mentor for student-athletes, helping them develop leadership skills, confidence and a strong work ethic by fostering a high-performance environment focused on skills development, overall personal growth, player development and post-graduation success.
“I’m extremely excited to add both Jacy and Katie to the staff,” McGuff said. “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 joins the Buckeye coaching staff after 11 seasons coaching in the WNBA. She spent the past five seasons with the Minnesota Lynx, serving as the associate head coach since 2022. Smith helped lead the Lynx to the 2024 WNBA Finals this season. Minnesota has made playoff appearances in four of the five seasons with Smith on staff.
Prior to her time with Minnesota, Smith became an assistant coach with the New York Liberty in 2013 after retiring from the WNBA as a player that same year. She was promoted to associate head coach prior to the 2016 season and took over as head coach for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
“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. “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!”
Smith is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. The two-time WNBA Champion with the Detroit Shock was also a two-time All-WNBA First Team selection during her time with the Lynx, also becoming the 2001 WNBA scoring champion. Smith is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2008. In 2011, Smith was named one of the WNBA’s top 15 players of all time and retired from playing in 2013 as the all-time leading scorer in women’s professional basketball.
She is a 2006 WNBA All-Decade Team member and a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2000, 2004, 2008). Smith was inducted into the OSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 in her first year of eligibility – a first among Buckeye women’s basketball players – and her jersey was retired in January 2001. She led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Championship during the 1992-93 season and then became the first Big Ten women’s basketball team to make an appearance in the NCAA Championship game. Smith became the first freshman since Cheryl Miller to be honored as a Kodak All-American First Team member after also being named National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
She capped her collegiate career as the 1996 Big Ten Player of the Year and a Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball recipient. Smith scored 2,578 points as a Buckeye, holding the program’s all-time leading scorer title for more than a decade and currently sits third. Her career point total led the Big Ten until 2004. Smith became the youngest collegiate player to score 1,000 career points at the age of 19 years and eight months (during her sophomore season). In the classroom, Smith was a four-time OSU Scholar Athlete, three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and the recipient of various scholarships, including a distinguished NCAA postgraduate scholarship.
Sheldon returns to Ohio State after spending her rookie season as a professional with the Dallas Wings. She was the fifth pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and played in 40 games, earning a starting spot midway through the season. Sheldon recorded six double-figure scoring performances in her rookie season, scoring a season-high 17 points against Atlanta on July 5 on the back of 5-of-8 long-range shooting.
“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. “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.”
Sheldon wrapped up her collegiate career as one of the most well-rounded players in school history as she’s one of three who totaled 1,900 points, 400 rebounds, 350 assists, 200 steals and 150 made triples in their Buckeye career. She finished in the top-15 in program history in 10 different career categories, including sixth in scoring with 2,024 career points. Sheldon helped Ohio State to its first Elite Eight appearance in 30 years in 2023 (first Elite Eight since 1993 when Smith was a Buckeye) and the Buckeyes claimed their first outright Big Ten regular season title since 2009-10 last season.
In 2024, Sheldon earned her spot on the AP All-American Second Team, USBWA All-American Third Team and The Sporting News All-American Second Team and was a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award. The two-time regional finalist for the WBCA Coaches’ All-America Team was on watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, Ann Meyers Drysdale USBWA National Player of the Year Award and Wade Award. Sheldon was a three-time All-Big Ten Selection, was twice named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team and was a four-time OSU Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten selection.
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