Audra Smith Introduced As S.C. State's New Head Basketball Coach

When Audra Smith was let go by Clemson, she didn't know if she would be coaching next season much less at a Division One school. S.C. State offered Smith that opportunity.

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- A self-described country girl from a small town just outside of Macon, Georgia, Audra Smith was interested in what S.C. State had to offer. Once she arrived on campus, she was surprised at how small and intimate the campus was and that aspect was very attractive to her.

On Thursday, Smith was introduced to the S.C. State community as the program's new head women's basketball coach.

Smith comes to Orangeburg from Clemson where she was the head coach for the past five seasons,. Her tenure ended after the Tigers went 11-19 this past season with just one ACC win. In her five
years at Clemson, Smith was 52-99 overall and 9-70 in the ACC.

The Virginia graduate and former teammate of USC's Dawn Staley is hoping her success at S.C. State will be more in line with what she did in her nine years as the head coach at UAB. Smith was 138-138 but in her final three years in Birmingham, Smith was 57-39 which was the best record in any three-year period at UAB in 17 years. Smith says she is looking forward to taking the reigns of a program that was 12-18 last season.

"We know it's going to take some time and we're going to build," she said.

"I feel like this is a program where we can be successful and eventually win championships. I'm not saying we're going to win the MEAC this sesason. But we have an opportunity to be extremely competitive."

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