RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA "National Coach of the Year" Announcement

Illinois Wesleyan's Mia Smith, who led her team to a national championship last month, has been chosen as the 2012 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/Women's Basketball Coaches Association "National Coach of the Year" for Division III, announced at the national convention in Denver, Colo., on Monday (April 2).

Smith led her Titans to a 28-5 overall record and the 2012 Division III national championship. After her 14th season at Illinois Wesleyan, Smith has an overall record of 282-108 and is 145-51 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (.725) with six league championships and seven NCAA Division III appearances. Her 2011 team finished fourth in the nation.

Smith has coached five All-Americans, including 2012 D3hoops.com “Player of the Year” Olivia Lett, 35 all-conference selections and four CCIW “Most Outstanding Players”.

Smith has been the CCIW “Coach of the Year” four times, regional coach of the year three times and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Division III “Coach of the Year” three times.

Earlier, Smith was named the 2012 Schelde North America/Women's DIII News "Coach of the Year".

The RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year is presented annually to one coach in each of the collegiate divisions and junior college/community college as well as high school, who best fulfills these criteria (in priority order):
• Team success during current season
• Team improvement from previous season
• Fulfillment of team potential
• Professional manner and attitude of coach

After all nominations have been collected, the nomination information for each candidate is accessible online for all WBCA member head coaches with instructions to cast an online ballot. A selection committee in each division chooses the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National Coach of the Year via a conference call from the pool of Regional Coaches of the Year. NCAA Division III always includes their Final Four coaches in the pool of nominees.