Christy Smith w RedIn April, Christy Smith was named as the seventh head women’s basketball coach in UIW history. She takes over a program entering its fourth and final year of the transition process from NCAA Division II to Division I.

Smith has been a women’s basketball Division I assistant coach since 2008 and was formerly a high school coach. She began her college coaching career at Valparaiso University where she coached for three years. In 2011, Smith coached at Purdue University and had a successful three years with a 77-27 record; they won a pair of Big Ten Tournament titles and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in all three seasons. Smith made the move to her alma mater, the University of Arkansas, in 2014 and helped the program as an assistant coach to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015. The Oxford, Ind., native has an extensive basketball history. 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.

She was a four-time honorable mention All-American as a point guard for the Razorbacks, 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. Smith earned SEC Freshman of the Year recognition in 1995.