The Ohio State University Sports and Society Institute will recognize six leaders whose work has made a lasting impact on sports, research, career development and the next generation of sports professionals as part of its 2026 awards program.

The honorees represent excellence across athletics, journalism, research, education, mentorship and sports-industry leadership, reflecting SSI’s mission to examine the role of sports in society while creating opportunities for students and professionals.

Katie Smith to receive the Katie Smith Impact Award

Katie Smith will receive the Katie Smith Impact Award, recognizing her extraordinary influence on sports and continued leadership on and off the court.

One of the most accomplished figures in women’s basketball, Smith is an Ohio State legend, Olympic gold medalist, WNBA champion and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Throughout her career as a player and coach, she has helped advance women’s basketball while serving as a model for generations of athletes and sports professionals.

Dru Hancock recognized as the Dru Hancock Career Champion of the Year

Dru Hancock will be recognized as the Dru Hancock Career Champion of the Year for her longstanding commitment to developing students, supporting women in sports and creating pathways into the sports industry.

Through her leadership and mentorship, Hancock has helped countless students and young professionals navigate careers in sports. Her commitment to opening doors and helping others build meaningful careers has made a lasting impact across Ohio State and the broader sports community.

Vince Doria will receive the SSI Distinguished Alumni Award.

A distinguished sports journalist and longtime industry leader, Doria spent 23 years at ESPN, serving as senior vice president and director of news and helping lead the network’s newsgathering and journalism operations. Before joining ESPN, he worked at the Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe and The National Sports Daily.

Gary Petit will receive the SSI Leadership Development Award.

Petit is associate athletic director for communications at Ohio State, where he leads the athletics communications unit and oversees communications strategy for the department’s non-football sports. He also serves as the primary communications contact for Ohio State men’s basketball and men’s and women’s golf.

Chris Knoester will receive the Sports & Society Research Award in recognition of his contributions to SSI’s research mission.

Knoester, a faculty member in sociology, serves as SSI’s research chair and is the principal investigator of the National Sports and Society Survey. His scholarship, collaboration and leadership have helped establish SSI’s research identity while creating opportunities for faculty and student researchers to explore the relationship between sports and society.

Brian Turner will receive the SSI Sports Partnership Award.

Turner is a professor and coordinator of the graduate Sport Management program in Ohio State’s College of Education and Human Ecology. He has a sustained record of teaching, advising and mentoring undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in sport management. His work has helped prepare generations of educators and sports-industry leaders, and he remains an active SSI faculty affiliate.

Together, the six honorees demonstrate the many ways leadership can shape sports, from competition and journalism to research, education, mentorship and career development.

The event is presented by The Ohio State University Sports and Society Institute in collaboration with the Columbus Sports Commission and community partners committed to supporting women and expanding opportunity throughout the sports industry.