Kelly Smith Named Assistant Soccer Coach At Seton Hall
8/10/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
"Kelly brings a tremendous passion for the game of soccer, one which will be contagious for our players. Her knowledge of the game will definitely be an asset to the team. She's not only earned a great deal of respect over the years from our returning players but from our incoming players as well. Her international experience and tremendous playing career will also be beneficial in the recruiting process. We're thrilled to have Kelly remain with us at Seton Hall," said Kempf.
Smith, from Watford, England, made her mark as one of the finest athletes in Seton Hall history, dominating her sport like no other. She became the program's first All-America, earning the honor in 1999. She is a three-time BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, becoming just the fifth athlete in any sport in conference history to win the top award three times. Smith finished as the runner-up for the 1999 Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year Award and was third in the voting for the Hermann Trophy, both given to the top collegiate player in the nation. Smith, who owns all of the school's scoring records, is the NCAA's career leader in points per game (3.41) and goals per game (1.49) as she amassed 76 goals and 174 points in just 51 matches. With 27 goals and 62 points in 1999, she finished as the nation's leading scorer for the second consecutive year.
Seton Hall retired her uniform number (6) in February, 2000, making her the first non-basketball playing athlete and just the third female athlete to receive the University's highest athletic tribute.
She graduated from Seton Hall in May, 2000 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education. She was a member of the 1999-00 BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team and received Seton Hall's BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Award.
Smith, who played for the New Jersey Lady Stallions of the W-1 League this summer, has committed to play in the WUSA, the women's professional soccer league which is slated to begin competition in the spring of 2001.
Smith is a full-time assistant coach, the first in the program's seven-year history.
Seton Hall, which went 11-9 last year, opens the 2000 season on August 27 at Virginia Tech.
