UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Head Coach AUDRA SMITH Head Coach • Seventh Season Virginia, 1992 n just six seasons at the helm of the UAB women’s basketball program, Audra ISmith has turned the Blazers into one of the top squads in Conference USA, while continuing to increase their national recognition. The 2009-10 campaign produced a historic run at the C-USA Champion- ship, as UAB became the first No. 6 seed to reach the title game. It marked just the second time in history and first time since 2000 the Blazers have reached the championship game. Smith’s 2009-10 squad also featured some outstanding talent, as guard Jala Harris became the first C-USA player in history to earn Freshman and Sixth Player of the Year honors in the same season. Harris was the third Blazer to earn the league’s sixth player award during Smith’s tenure and first to earn the fresh- (WNIT) man accolade. as an at- After two straight top-three finishes in the league, a youthful Blazer squad large bid, struggled in 2008-09, going 10-20 overall and 5-11 in conference play to finish its first ninth in C-USA. However, UAB continued its tradition of outstanding players, post- with senior guard Britney Jones leading the conference and ranking 21st in the s e a s o n nation in scoring with 19.4 ppg, which earned her second-team All-C-USA hon- appear- ors. ance in In 2007-08, UAB gar- six years. The Smith File nered its second consecu- The Blaz- tive top-three finish in C- ers earned a Date of Birth: January 23, 1970 USA by placing third with victory over Da- Family: Husband, Anthony Oliver an overall record of 14-16 vidson in the first Children: Son, A.J. (11); Daughter, Adria (10) and a league mark of 10- round before falling 6. to Auburn in round two. Alma Mater: Bachelor’s – Sociology, 1992, Also making notable Not only did UAB experi- University of Virginia highlights in 2007-08 was ence team success in ‘06-07, it senior guard/forward Dia- also had multiple individuals mond Rogers. Rogers was recognized within the conference Coaching Experience a first-team all-conference and nationally for their talent and 1994-96 University of Virginia honoree and was also a success. The Blazers had a trio Restricted Earnings Coach State Farm Coaches’ All- honored by C-USA, including America regional finalist. Carmen Guzman as the league’s 1996-2004 University of Virginia The 2006-07 campaign Player of the Year. Assistant Coach served as the Blazers’ Guzman, who was devel- 2004-present UAB break-out season under oped and polished under Smith Smith, as UAB posted an and her staff, continued to rack Head Coach overall record of 19-13, up multiple conference and na- including a second-place tional honors, finishing her ca- Playing Experience 12-4 mark in Conference reer as one of the finest players USA. Not only did UAB to ever wear a Blazers’ uniform. 1986-88 Baldwin HS, Milledgeville, Ga. record its best overall re- Guzman became just the sec- Honorable Mention All-American, 1988 cord in six seasons, but the ond Blazer in school history Miss Georgia Basketball, 1988 Blazers’ 12 league wins was to earn the C-USA Player of the most in school history the Year award, while also be- MVP of state tournament, 1987 since joining Conference ing named a Kodak/WBCA 1989-92 University of Virginia USA in 1995. All-America finalist and being Three Final Four Appearances UAB went on to be se- invited to the WNBA Pre- lected to play in the Post- Draft Camp. (1990, 1991, 1992) season Women’s National Smith’s second season Academic Honor Roll, 1992 Invitation Tournament (2005-06) ended with the Blazers 40 2010-11 UAB Women’s Basketball UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Head Coach Seven Blazers missed a total of 106 games As a coach with the Cavaliers, Smith helped Virginia for various reasons, with three different to nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances players missing at least 20 games of the (1995-2003), four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances season. UAB did participate in its second- (1995-97, 2000); two NCAA Elite Eight appear- consecutive Conference USA Tournament ances (1995-96); and three ACC regular season titles and won the Blazer Invitational during the (1995-96, 2000). Seventeen Cavalier players were season. Additionally, the Blazers took sec- named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll a total of ond at the Coors Rocky Mountain Invita- 28 times. tional hosted by Colorado State University. After graduating from Virginia in 1992 with a Smith was named the fifth head wom- degree in sociology, she worked as a child and ad- en’s basketball coach for UAB on April 7, olescent counselor and as a social worker with the 2004. The job is Smith’s first collegiate head Department of Family and Children Services in coaching position after she spent 14 years Milledgeville. From there she returned to begin her under Debbie Ryan at Virginia as a player coaching career in Charlottesville. As a player at Vir- and assistant coach. Smith was associated ginia, Smith was a member of the Cavaliers team that with the UVa women’s basketball program competed in three consecutive Final Fours (1990, for 10 years as a coach and four as a player. 1991 and 1992). Virginia reached the championship In coming to UAB, Smith returned to game in 1991, falling 70-67 in overtime to Tennes- a region familiar to her. Smith grew up in see. She was a four-year letterwinner. Milledgeville, Ga., and went on to become At Baldwin, she was named honorable mention an outstanding prep basketball player at All-America by Street and Smith’s and was named Miss Baldwin High School from 1986-88. Georgia Basketball in 1988. She led Baldwin High After finishing her playing career at Vir- in Milledgeville, Ga., to three consecutive Georgia ginia in 1992, Smith joined the Cavaliers’ AAAA state championships (1986, 1987 and 1988) coaching staff in 1994 as the restricted earn- and was named the MVP of the state tournament as Audra Smith with husband Anthony Oliver and ings coach. After two years, she was elevated a junior in 1987. children A.J. and Adria to a full-time position where she assisted Smith, 40, is married to former Virginia basket- producing an overall record of 14-14, a 7-9 record in with player development of the guards and ball player Anthony Oliver and has a son, A.J. (11) C-USA play and a pair of all-conference selections. worked extensively in recruiting and scouting. In and a daughter, Adria (10). She has been a mem- The squad’s overall record was the first time UAB has May of 2000, she was promoted to recruiting coor- ber of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association posted a .500-plus mark since the 2000-01 season. dinator and helped Virginia attract four recruiting since 1994 and the Black Coaches Association since In 2004-05, UAB recorded a 7-21 overall mark classes rated among the nation’s top 20. 2002. in Smith’s first season, as no Blazer player started ev- Virginia won six straight Atlantic Coast Con- ery game and only three played in all 28 contests. ference championships from 1991-96, as well as three ACC tournament campionships (`90, 92, `93). Smith’s Career Coaching Record UAB (Head Coach) 2004-05 7-21 .250 4-10 C-USA 10th in C-USA N/A 2005-06 14-14 .500 7-9 C-USA 9th in C-USA N/A 2006-07 19-13 .594 12-4 C-USA 2nd in C-USA WNIT Second Round 2007-08 14-16 .467 10-6 C-USA 3rd in C-USA N/A 2008-09 10-20 .333 5-11 C-USA 9th in C-USA N/A 2009-10 17-15 .531 8-8 C-USA 6th in C-USA N/A Overall 81-99 .450 46-48 C-USA -- -- University of Virginia (Assistant Coach) 1996-97 23-8 .742 12-4 ACC Second in ACC NCAA Sweet Sixteen 1997-98 19-10 .655 9-7 ACC Fifth in ACC NCAA Second Round 1998-99 20-9 .690 12-4 ACC Second in ACC NCAA First Round 1999-00 25-9 .735 13-3 ACC ACC Regular-Season Champions NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2000-01 18-14 .563 8-8 ACC Fifth in ACC NCAA First Round 2001-02 17-13 .567 9-7 ACC T-Third in ACC NCAA First Round 2002-03 17-14 .548 9-7 ACC Third in ACC NCAA Second Round 2003-04 13-16 .448 6-10 ACC Seventh in ACC N/A University of Virginia (Restricted Earnings Coach) 1994-95 27-5 .843 16-0 ACC ACC Regular-Season Champions NCAA Elite Eight 1995-96 26-7 .788 13-3 ACC ACC Regular-Season Champions NCAA Elite Eight 41 2010-11 UAB Women’s Basketball UAB BLAZERS BASKETBALL Assistant Coaches KATHY BECKER Assistant Coach • Seventh Season Virginia, 2002 athy Becker is in her sev- Tennessee Lady Vols basketball staff from 2002-04. As a graduate Kenth season at UAB after assistant on Pat Summitt’s staff, her major focus was assisting with joining the Blazers’ staff in the recruiting. During Allen’s two years at Tennessee, the Lady Vols spring of 2004. went to the NCAA Women’s Final Four twice, finishing second in 2003 Becker’s responsibilities and 2004. include recruiting, scout- Becker graduated from UVa’s prestigious McIntire School of Commerce ing reports and working in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and a minor in economics.