The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/432566
Trinity Valley is a women's basket- ball powerhouse in the National Ju- nior College Athletic Association, sporting six national championships. Smith wound up at Trinity Valley be- cause she knew she'd be back in Di- vision I at some point, and the path that led to Michigan went through Athens. "Trinity Valley actually hap- pened because of Michigan," Smith explained. "I knew Coach Chester [Nichols], he isn't here at Michigan anymore but he recruited me on my first unofficial visit when he was at West Virginia. They offered me dur- ing my freshman year of high school. "I heard he was coming to Michi- gan with Coach Arico. When I knew I was transferring from North Caro- lina I contacted them first and told them I wanted to come visit. I com- mitted to Michigan when I visited, but they didn't have any scholar- ships at that time so I had to take the junior-college route. "Coach Chester knew the coaching staff at Trinity Valley and knew that they were a powerhouse in women's basketball. I went there and we won the national championship. I was al- ready committed to Michigan when I went to Trinity Valley for that one year." One season at Trinity Valley, one NJCAA national championship, and one Most Valuable Player of the tournament award later, and Smith was ready to return to Division I basketball. Smith ranked third on the team in scoring during U-M's 6-2 start, posting 12.4 points per contest, and led the squad in assists, dishing out 4.5 per game. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS