Elon University women’s head basketball coach Charlotte Smith earned the distinction of Sports Impact recipient at the 10th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards. Singer/songwriters Josh Baldwin and David Leonard presented the trophy to Smith at the official ceremony, honoring not just her impressive career, but also her incredible character that continues to reflect Christ at every turn.
The former University of North Carolina (UNC) women’s basketball standout accepted the statuette with a great deal of gratitude for the people who have made her who she is today — her teammates, her family and her uncle, North Carolina State legend David Thompson, who was in the audience at the Fan Awards cheering on his niece.
Inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2015, Smith is the winningest head women’s basketball coach in Elon program history. Yet, she’ll forever be remembered for scoring the game-winning shot that earned UNC the 1994 National Championship title when she hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give her team a 60-59 win over Louisiana Tech. The following year, ESPN named her National Player of the Year.
Post-college, Smith played professional basketball for 11 years in Italy with the American Basketball League, followed by a stint in the WNBA. She went on to become an assistant basketball coach at her alma mater before assuming her lead coaching position at Elon. A pastor’s daughter, Smith is the author of two devotionals that reveal how prayer can be an integral part of every athlete’s preparation: “When Athletes Pray” and “When Coaches Pray.” Moreover, Smith is also a singer and songwriter, who writes original songs about her faith.
Smith joins good company as previous Sports Impact recipients include Tim Tebow, Scott Drew, Benjamin Watson and Mike Fisher, among other athletes using their platforms for a bigger purpose.
