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President welcomes new head coach

In News, News & Events by KHarrington

Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony J. Davis officially introduced the new women’s basketball head coach, Queen Smith, to the campus community Thursday during a press conference and reception. “I’m excited, enthusiastic and encouraged,” Davis said. “Athletics on the campus of Livingstone College is very important. On our campus, they are students first. We wanted someone to come who would have the capacity to work with young women using the game of basketball to get them ready and prepared for life.” Smith is a five-time Hall of Famer, who served as assistant coach for Yale University’s Women’s Basketball Team. She catapulted one team’s record from a 0-19 record to a 20-0 regular season within five years. Winning is important, but Davis said it was more crucial to hire a coach who was a worker; a coach who was willing; and a coach who was a winner. Livingstone’s women’s basketball team has made some great strides, “but we play in a competitive conference (CIAA),” he said. Livingstone needed someone willing to take on the challenge of coming to an institution that doesn’t have the resources that others have. Davis was aware of Smith’s athletic prowess. She was a student at the high school where his mother, the late Wanda Gibbs, served as assistant principal in Connecticut. “She was a high school standout and a collegiate standout. In Division I basketball, she was a great coach and recruiter,” Davis said. While attending his mother’s funeral last year, Davis ran into Smith at a …

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New head women’s basketball coach named

In News, News & Events by KHarrington

Press conference to formally introduce new coach is Thursday, April 27, at 11 a.m. in the Hilliard Room, Hood Building SALISBURY – Livingstone College President Dr. Anthony J. Davis has named Queen Smith as the new head women’s basketball coach. A native of New Haven, Conn., she was a standout tri-sport athlete competing in volleyball (All-Area), outdoor track (All-State) and basketball (All-State, All-Conference). She was a highly recruited full-scholarship athlete to play basketball at Quinnipiac College in Connecticut. During her career, she was the three-time Northeast Conference-10 Player of the Year, a feat no one else has ever accomplished in league history. Smith became the 10th player in school history to score 1,000 points and earned an All-Star selection on the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Star Team. She ended her career in the top 10 of all time in school history in scoring and top five all time in assists (476) and steals (394). To date, while remaining in the top 20 all time in scoring, she still holds those rankings. Smith is a five-time Hall of Famer including at Quinnipiac University, the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame chosen for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She graduated in 1996 with dual bachelor’s degrees in sociology, health and science studies. When asked what sparked her drive, Smith said, “Let your work do the talking on the floor,” and “You can win, but you’ll never outwork me.” Smith brought her unyielding work ethic forward to her scholastic, athletic and mentoring endeavors. She returned to …