Staff Directory
Smith, Katie
Katie Smith
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Katie Smith officially joined the Ohio State coaching staff as an assistant coach on November 11, 2024. Smith returned to her alma mater after 11 seasons coaching in the WNBA.
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.
Ohio State finished third in the Big Ten in 2024-25 in the conference’s first season with 18 teams. The Buckeyes wrapped up the season with a 26-7 overall record, including four ranked wins, and a 13-5 mark in Big Ten play. Ohio State went undefeated at home (15-0) during the regular season for the first time since 2011-12. The Buckeyes earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, hosting games in the Schottenstein Center for the third-consecutive season and playing host for the 15th time in program history. McMahon was named an AP All-American honorable mention for the second season in a row and was joined by Jaloni Cambridge as honorable mentions for the WBCA Coaches’ All-America Team. Four Buckeyes earned All-Big Ten recognition, highlighted by Jaloni Cambridge’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor.
She was with the Minnesota Lynx from 2020-24, serving as the associate head coach from 2022-24. Smith helped lead the Lynx to the 2024 WNBA Finals. 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.
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