Katie Smith to Serve as Bell Ringer Against Kent State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Katie Smith, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member and seven-time WNBA All-Star, is set to serve as the second Bell Ringer of the 2026 season when the Buckeyes host Kent State on Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

Smith is the 10th Bell Ringer since the tradition began in 2025 and the first female bell ringer in the tradition's history.

Smith's Ohio State career stands among the most accomplished and influential in the history of Buckeye women's basketball. A native of Logan, Ohio, Smith arrived in Columbus in 1992 and immediately helped elevate the program to the national stage.

As a freshman in 1992-93, Smith helped lead Ohio State to a Big Ten Championship and the program's first appearance in the NCAA championship game. Smith scored 28 points in an 84-82 loss in the national title game to Texas Tech. She became the first freshman since Cheryl Miller to earn Kodak First Team All-America recognition and also received National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.

Smith continued to build one of the greatest résumés in conference history over her four seasons with the Buckeyes. She finished her Ohio State career with 2,578 points, a total that was the program record for more than a decade and now ranks third all-time. Her scoring total led the Big Ten until 2004, and she became the youngest collegiate player to reach 1,000 career points at 19 years, 8 months old during her sophomore season.

As a senior in 1995-96, Smith earned Big Ten Player of the Year and the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball award.  In 2001, Ohio State retired her jersey, making Smith the first female student-athlete in school history to receive that honor. She was also inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility in 2001 – a first among Buckeye women's basketball players.

Following her collegiate career, Smith became one of the defining players of the modern women's professional game. She helped the Columbus Quest win the American Basketball League's only two championships in 1996 and 1997, then played 15 seasons in the WNBA. Smith won two WNBA championships with the Detroit Shock, earned seven WNBA All-Star selections, won the 2008 WNBA Finals MVP award and was named to the league's All-Decade Team in 2006 as one of the top 10 players in the league's first 10 years of existence.

Smith also became a fixture for USA Basketball, winning Olympic gold medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008. When she retired from professional basketball in 2013, she was the all-time leading scorer in women's professional basketball with 7,885 combined points across the ABL and WNBA. Her accomplishments later earned her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Since retiring as a player, Smith has remained committed to the growth of women's basketball through coaching and mentorship. She began her WNBA coaching career with the New York Liberty in 2013, later serving as associate head coach and head coach in 2018 and 2019. Smith then joined the Minnesota Lynx, where she was elevated to the associate head coach position and served in that role from 2022 through 2024. She helped guide the franchise to the 2024 WNBA Finals.

In November 2024, Smith returned to Ohio State as an assistant coach on Ohio State's women's basketball staff. In her two years as assistant coach, the Buckeyes have a combined 53-15 record, including a 31-5 record at home and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Smith is also being honored by the university Oct. 11 with the inaugural Sports and Society Institute Katie Smith Impact Award by the University for her work on behalf of sports across the collegiate and professional space.

Bell Ringer Information & Honorees
Alpha Phi Omega members have long rung the Victory Bell across campus following Ohio State victories. That postgame tradition continues, and in 2025, Ohio State introduced a pregame Bell Ringer tradition at Ohio Stadium.

Before kickoff, a featured guest rings the Victory Bell to energize the crowd as the Buckeyes prepare to take the field. Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin became the first Bell Ringer before Ohio State's Aug. 30, 2025, season opener against Texas.

The words "For Vigor" are inscribed in the concrete above the bell inside Ohio Stadium. The phrase reflects the effort, energy and enthusiasm the Bell represents each time it rings — and the spirit Ohio State asks Buckeye Nation to bring on game day.

2026 Bell Ringers

April 18, 2026 (Spring Game) - Jackson Smith-Njigba

Sept. 5, 2026 vs. Ball State – Maurice Clarett

Sept. 19, 2026 vs. Kent State – Katie Smith

2025 Bell Ringers

Aug. 30, 2025 vs. Texas – Archie Griffin

Sept. 6, 2025 vs. Grambling State – John Cooper

Sept. 13, 2025 vs. Ohio – Clark Kellogg

Oct. 4, 2025 vs. Minnesota – Michael Redd

Nov. 1, 2025 vs. Penn State – Urban Meyer

Nov. 15, 2025 vs. UCLA – Jerry Lucas

Nov. 22, 2025 vs. Rutgers – Jim Tressel

Game Themes for September 19 vs. Kent State

Helmet Stripe Game:
- All fans who are sitting in the Horseshoe of Ohio Stadium are encouraged to wear gray for this contest, while the students will once again wear colors correspond to the Helmet Stripe on Ohio State's iconic helmet. The tradition returns after being introduced for the first time last season.
- Fans can gear up for this event by shopping here: https://gobuckeyes.com/
Scarlet & Gray Game:
- Ohio State will recognize all its student-athletes inside Ohio Stadium for Buckeye Nation to celebrate them.
Faculty & Staff Appreciation