One of the most recognizable players in Razorback women’s basketball history returned home in April 2014, to begin a new era at her alma mater.
Former All-American and WNBA player Christy Smith was hired as an assistant coach with the Razorbacks. Smith joined the staff as the top assistant and will work with every aspect of the Razorback program.
In her first season with the Razorbacks, Smith helped the program to an 18-win season and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, just the second NCAA appearance in the last 11 years for Arkansas.
Prior to Arkansas, Smith spent three seasons each with Purdue University Valparaiso University in her home state of Indiana as an assistant coach.
While at Purdue, Smith served as an assistant coach. She helped Purdue to three consecutive NCAA Tournament second round appearances during her tenure. Purdue was 77-27 while Smith was an assistant.
Smith served as the recruiting coordinator for the Crusaders and helped a pair of Valparaiso players earn Horizon League honors.
Prior to her stint at Valparaiso, Smith was the head varsity girls’ basketball coach at Harrison High School in West Lafayette, Ind., and before that she served as an assistant coach at Lafayette Jefferson High School and at Lake Country Christian School in Fort Worth, Texas, where she worked with Whitney Hand, a standout player at the University of Oklahoma.
The Oxford, Ind., native has a rich basketball background. In the space of 12 months, Smith led Team USA to gold at the World University Games, Arkansas to the NCAA Final Four and the Charlotte Sting into the WNBA playoffs.
Smith was a four-time honorable mention All-American as a point guard for the Razorbacks, was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times, earned first team All-SEC as a senior after twice being named second team All-SEC. In 1995, she earned SEC Freshman of the Year recognition.
The three-time team captain is eight all-time at Arkansas in scoring with 1,459 career points, Smith also ranks fourth in school history with 507 career assists and third with 239 steals. She is second all-time in made free throws, connecting on 461, a mark that ranks 10th in the SEC as well. Smith finished her collegiate career shooting 83.7 percent from the charity stripe, second best in Razorback history, and holds the single-season school record of 89.9 percent set in the 1994-1995 season, a year she led the nation in that category.
Smith was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times while at Arkansas. She competed for the United States at the World University Games in Italy in 1997, winning a gold medal for her country. She also represented the North on the 1995 Olympic Festival Team.
After a stellar senior season, Smith was drafted No. 17 overall by the Charlotte Sting in 1998 where she played two seasons for the WNBA franchise.
Smith was inducted into the University Of Arkansas Hall Of Honor in 2005, the fifth women’s basketball player at the school to receive such an honor.
Smith has two degrees from Arkansas. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 1998 and went on to earn a master’s degree in biomechanics in 2001. Smith has three children, Dayton, Tyson and Crew, and is married to Tommy Cook.
COACHING CAREER
Assistant Coach
Valparaiso University || Three Seasons (2008-11) || 32-59 (.352)
2008-09 || 16-14/10-8 || Horizon League Tournament
2009-10 || 9-21/6-12 || Horizon League Tournament
2010-11 || 7-24/4-14 || Horizon League Tournament
Purdue University || Three Seasons (2011-14) || 72-27 (.727)
2011-12 || 25-9/11-5 || NCAA Second Round
2012-13 || 25-9/10-6 || NCAA Second Round
2013-14 || 22-9/11-5 || NCAA Second Round
University of Arkansas || One Season (2014-present) || 18-14.562)
2014-15 || 18-14/6-10 || NCAA Second Round
TOTALS
Valparaiso || 32-59
Purdue || 72-27
Arkansas || 18-14
Total || 123-100
