Dallas – Paul Quinn Thursday announced Camille Smith, former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player and Dallas Wings coach as the leader of its women’s basketball program. A former player of the year and McDonald’s All American, Coach Smith brings 12 years of professional experience with a focus on player development on the court and in the classroom.
“Coach Camille Smith brings so much to the Quinnite Nation as our new women’s basketball coach,” said Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College. “First, she is a winner. She has won at every level – two Final Fours at UNC; a WNBA championship; and multiple titles in international play. Her character and passion for doing things the right way makes her an unbelieva- ble role model for both our young ladies and young men. Camille’s hiring speaks volumes as to where our athletic program is today and where we are headed in the future. We love this move.”
Smith (formerly Little) began her WNBA career with the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2007, and played for the Atlanta Dream, Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun, and Phoenix Mercury across 13 seasons. Before her retirement, Smith, along with Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker, were the only three players in the WNBA with 1,500 career rebounds and over 150 made three-pointers. She reti- red from the WNBA in 2019. Little joined the Dallas Wings coaching staff in 2020.
“I am honored and beyond excited to join Paul Quinn and the Quinnite Nation and to be a part of the development of these great athletes,” said Smith. “This is the beginning of something special – I can feel it!”
Smith attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), leading the Tar Heels to two Final Four appearances in her four years at UNC. Known for her offensive skills and defensive game, Smith was a four-time All-ACC selection, and she finished her college career with more than 1,700 points, 800 rebounds, 250 assists, and 250 steals. She became the first Tar Heel to be named first-team All-ACC as a freshman. She has a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communications from UNC.
Camille also played professional basketball internationally for more than a decade with multiple teams in Israel (2015 Israel League champion), Turkey, Cyprus, China, Sicily (2016 Cup champion), Lebanon (2017 Arab Cup champion), France, and Italy (2018 Euro Cup runner-up).
Smith attended Carver High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where she won numerous accolades and awards during her career including being named a McDonald’s High School All-American, Associated Press NC Player of the Year, NC Miss Basketball, and holding the career scoring record of 2,168 career points.
Paul Quinn College is a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Red River Athletic Conference, Paul Quinn College offers varsity men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, track, cross country, and women’s volleyball teams.
United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national governing body that provides quality intercollegiate athletic competition on a national level. The USCAA exists to provide small colleges the opportunity to compete against like institutions in size and resources for National Championships and stu- dent-athlete recognition.
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs and championships in proper balance with the overall college educational experience.
The Red River Athletic Conference is an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The conference’s 12 member insti- tutions are located in Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
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