Ohio State Women's Basketball Coach Kevin McGuff Leads Team to NCAA Tournament

5 key facts about the Buckeyes' head coach as they aim for the Sweet 16

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:08pm

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Ohio State women's basketball is making its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Kevin McGuff. The Buckeyes, a No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth region, will face No. 14 seed Howard in the opening round at the Schottenstein Center. McGuff, a Hamilton, Ohio native, has led Ohio State to four Big Ten regular-season titles, though two were later vacated due to recruiting violations. The 56-year-old coach recently pled guilty to an amended traffic charge after an OVI arrest last May.

Why it matters

McGuff has built Ohio State into a consistent NCAA Tournament team, though the Buckeyes have struggled to advance past the Sweet 16 in recent years. As they look to break through this season, McGuff's experience and leadership will be crucial in guiding the team, especially with a roster that lost over half its active players from last year.

The details

In his 12th season at Ohio State, McGuff has compiled a 500-win career as the Buckeyes' head coach. He previously had success as the head coach at Xavier, where he won 214 games in nine seasons, and spent two years as the head coach at Washington before taking the Ohio State job in 2011. Under McGuff, Ohio State won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024, though the 2017 and 2018 championships were later vacated due to recruiting violations. This season, the Buckeyes went 24-6 in the regular season despite losing over half their active roster from a year ago.

  • Ohio State is making its 9th NCAA Tournament appearance under Kevin McGuff.
  • On Feb. 5, 2026, McGuff recorded his 500th win as Ohio State's head coach against his former team, Washington.
  • McGuff was arrested for an OVI charge in May 2025 and pled guilty to an amended traffic charge on Dec. 23, 2025.

The players

Kevin McGuff

The head coach of the Ohio State women's basketball team, leading the Buckeyes to 9 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 12 seasons at the helm.

Letitia McGuff

Kevin McGuff's wife, who previously worked on the coaching staff at Notre Dame when the two were there together from 1999 to 2001.

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What they’re saying

“Ohio State is in its ninth women's NCAA Tournament under Kevin McGuff. Here are 5 things to know about the Buckeyes' head coach.”

— Brianna Mac Kay, Author

What’s next

The Buckeyes will face No. 14 seed Howard in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at the Schottenstein Center. A win would advance Ohio State to the second round, where they would face the winner of the matchup between the No. 6 and No. 11 seeds.

The takeaway

Kevin McGuff has established Ohio State as a consistent NCAA Tournament team, guiding the Buckeyes to 9 tournament appearances in his 12 seasons as head coach. Despite recent struggles to advance past the Sweet 16, McGuff's experience and leadership will be crucial as Ohio State looks to break through and make a deep run in this year's tournament.