Abby Smith

Classroom

Abby Smith is one of the Texas’ top student-athletes, currently holding a 3.67 GPA while majoring in physical culture and sports with a minor in communication. Recently selected as a 2014 NSCAA University Division Scholar All-American and Scholar All-South Region choice, Smith was also named UT’s representative for the 2014-15 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. Additionally, she has been chosen as a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, a seven-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll inclusion, and has been nominated for Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District/All-American honors.

Character

Smith is a four-year starter and the unquestioned leader of the defense from her starting position between the pipes. Smith guides Texas women’s soccer via example through her strong work ethic both on and off the pitch. Humble and modest about her impressive individual accomplishments, she’s always the first to look to credit the team before herself. Smith has also served in important leadership roles as a member of the Big 12 Conference’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, has attended the Big 12 Leadership Summit and was recently honored as the recipient of Texas’ 2015 Jill A. Sterkel Leadership Award.

Community

Perhaps more impressive than Smith’s on the field accomplishments have been her efforts in helping the local community during her time on the Forty Acres. Besides coaching youth soccer teams in her limited spare time, she has been involved with numerous community projects that have included: raising money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation at the Texas Round Table Pancakes for Parkinson’s event; Attending and distributing awards at the Marbridge Foundation sports banquet, honoring athletes that have participated in Special Olympics events over the past year; working with kids at the Neighborhood Longhorns STEM Challenge to help students apply math and science principals to inspire interest in STEM careers; collecting toys and gifts for the Orange Santa Toy Drive to help benefit members of the university community; participating in numerous soccer clinics to help teach children soccer skills; and helping run children’s activity stations at the annual “Longhorn Halloween” event.

Competition

Smith is arguably the top goaltender in the Big 12 Conference, one of the best in all of NCAA Division I collegiate soccer and one of two current starting keepers on the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team, Smith has made quite a name for herself on the pitch. A two-time NSCAA All-Central Region and a three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection, the 55-game starter (2012-15 – as of Aug. 23, 2015) has been in net for the Longhorns for over 5,100 total minutes, ranking first in school history in career goals-against-average (0.80), second in shutouts (25), third in wins (29) and fifth in total saves (207). The Plano, Texas, native has also scored three goals during her playing career (one each during the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons), including one from approximately 96 yards away that served as the match winner during a recent 1-0 victory over Miami (FL) on Aug. 23, 2015.