« Women’s Basketball 2009-10

Jenna Smith

School
University of Illinois
Position
Center
Major
Community Health
PPG
18.7
RPG
10.8
APG
1.9

Classroom

Smith is on pace to earn a bachelor’s degree in community health in May of 2010.

Character

Smith is one of the most durable and hardest-working players in the country. She has developed into an All-America player on the court and has come even further as a team leader during her time at Illinois, especially this season as she has stepped up to help mentor Illinois’ 11 underclassmen. During the last two years she has seen constant double and triple teams and has remained a model teammate through it all, playing nearly every single minute last year and never quitting on her teammates. She is extremely active in the community and works just as hard in the classroom as she’s on pace to earn a bachelor’s degree this spring in community health.

Community

Smith has been extremely active in the community during her career, particularly at local grade schools. Included are many of the activities she’s been involved in during the last three years: Multiple elementary school visits to Dr. King and Garden Hills Schools over the past three years to read and encourage the children to be active; DCFS Holiday Party; Champaign County Nursing Home visits; Walk to School Event (last two years); Robeson Elementary School Family Reading Night; Numerous Don Moyer’s Boys and Girls Club visits; MS Walk; Playing It Safe bike rodeo events; Garden Hills Elementary School Summer Lunch Program; Champaign Park District Summer Recreation Program at Garden Hills; Urbana School District 116 After School Program. She has also presented gifts to a local family on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Competition

Smith’s junior highlights include: first team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media for the second consecutive year, third in the Big Ten in scoring (18.5 ppg) and blocked shots (2.0) and sixth in rebounding (8.6). She led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation in minutes per game (38.7), scored double figures in all 31 games and ended the season with a streak of 39 consecutive games in double figures. She broke the Illinois career blocks record, ending the season with a career total of 161 swats and broke her own single-season blocks record with 63. Smith finished her junior season ranked fourth on the UI career rebounding list with 830 and fifth on the career scoring list with 1,545 points. She was selected to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, averaging 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in Illinois’ two games. She became just the third Illini player to reach the 1,500-point milestone in less than three seasons. As a sophomore, Smith was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, a regional finalist for WBCA All-America Honors, first team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media and on the All-Big Ten Tournament Team after carrying the Illini to the championship game. She led the Big Ten with 16 double-doubles on the season and finished the season ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring (18.3) and rebounding (9.4). She was one of only eight players in the nation to average at least 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures in 34 of 35 games on the season and was a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week. As a freshman, Smith garnered Honorable Mention All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team selections and broke the UI?freshman rebounding record (233) and tied the frosh blocked shots record along with fellow freshman Lacey Simpson (39).