Christy Smith (basketball)

Christina Marie Smith (born August 14, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Charlotte Sting of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Christy Smith
Personal information
Born (1975-08-14) August 14, 1975 (age 48)
Miami, Florida
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Listed weight141 lb (64 kg)
Career information
High schoolBenton Central (Oxford, Indiana)
CollegeArkansas (1994–1998)
WNBA draft1998: 2nd round, 17th overall pick
Selected by the Charlotte Sting
PositionGuard
Career history
As player:
1998–1999Charlotte Sting
As coach:
2008–2011Valparaiso (assistant)
2011–2014Purdue (assistant)
2014–2016Arkansas (assistant)
2016–2019Incarnate Word
Career highlights and awards
as a player:
  • 4x AP All-American (1995–1998)
  • First-team All-SEC (1998)
  • SEC Freshman of the Year (1995)
  • SEC All-Freshman Team (1995)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Women’s Basketball
World University Games
Gold medal – first place1997 Marsala Team Competition

Playing career

University of Arkansas

Smith helped lead the Arkansas Razorbacks to the 1998 NCAA Division I Final Four. She left Arkansas as its ninth all-time leading scorer (1459 points), third all-time in assists (507), and second all-time in steals (239). In the 1994–95 season she led the nation in highest free throw percentage (89.9). She was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times. She was inducted into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor in 2005, the fifth women's basketball player at the time to receive the honor.

Arkansas statistics

Source[1]

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MIN Minutes MPG Minutes per game
 PTS Points PPG Points per game RBS Rebounds RPG Rebounds per game
 FG% Field-goal percentage 3P% Field-goal percentage FT% Free-throw percentage
 APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game Bold Career high
YearTeamGPGSMinMPGPointsPPGRBSRPGFG%3P%FT%APGSPGBPG
1994–95Arkansas3030112637.540813.6762.538.1%35.4%89.9%4.43.00.1
1995–96Arkansas222278135.536316.5733.340.2%30.4%79.7%4.42.00.0
1996–97Arkansas282792032.934312.3682.436.6%33.6%81.0%4.71.90.0
1997–98Arkansas3131113336.534511.1772.536.5%34.5%83.2%4.71.70.1
Career111110396035.7145913.12942.737.9%33.6%83.7%4.62.20.1

Charlotte Sting

Smith played for the Sting for two years, appearing in 28 total games.

WNBA statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG Rebounds per game
 APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO Turnovers per game FG% Field-goal percentage 3P% 3-point field-goal percentage FT% Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader
Regular season
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
1998Charlotte241818.7.360.316.8501.43.00.40.02.03.7
1999Charlotte404.8.750.667.8330.30.30.30.00.33.3
Career2 years, 1 team281816.7.380.333.8461.32.60.40.01.83.6
Playoffs
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
1998Charlotte209.5.167.000.2500.50.50.00.00.01.5

Coaching career

Smith served as assistant coach of Jefferson High School women's basketball team the year before becoming head coach of William Henry Harrison High School's women's basketball team during their 2007–2008 season.[citation needed] Smith joined the staff of Valparaiso University in August 2008 as an assistant coach. During her tenure she assisted with the team's recruiting.

Smith was an assistant coach at Purdue and helped lead the team to the straight NCAA Tournament second round appearances. During her tenure, the team went 77–27. Smith joined the coaching staff at Arkansas in 2014 as an assistant coach. She left after two seasons with the Razorbacks.[citation needed]

Smith became the head coach of the Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team in 2016.[2]

Honors and awards

College

  • Women’s Basketball News Service, 2nd team (1994–95)
  • WBNS Freshman All-America, 1st team (1994–95)
  • ESPN Basketball Top 5 (1995–96)
  • Women’s Basketball News Service, 2nd team preseason All-America (1995–96)
  • Women’s BB News Service; Athlon Sports, Lindy’s, 2nd team preseason All-American (1996–97)
  • Women’s Basketball News Service All-American 2nd team (1997–98)
  • WBNS preseason All-American (1997–98)

Personal life

Smith earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from University of Arkansas in 1998 and a master's degree in 2001 in biomechanics. She has three children.[3]

References