« Women’s Soccer 2009

Lindsey Smart

School
Utah State University
Position
Midfielder
Major
Exercise Science
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Classroom

Smart is a three-time academic all-WAC honoree. She was selected to the NSCAA Scholar all-West Region second team in 2008. In 2007, she earned second-team CoSIDA academic all-district eight honors. She helped the Aggies win the NSCAA Team Academic Award three straight seasons.

Character

Smart is well respected by her teammates. The team voted her captain in her junior year. She relates to everyone on the team. She has the best work ethic on a team that has a very high work ethic; she always works hard whether it is on the field or in the weight room or in the classroom. She calls situations as she sees them but finds a way to put a positive spin even on tough times. She exemplifies a “can do” spirit. Smart has overcome adversity in her career.  After her junior year, she had surgery for compartment syndrome in both of her legs. She spent the majority of the spring on the sideline. She stayed emotionally involved with the team almost becoming another coach and was an inspiration to the team with how hard she worked to recover.  She had an ambitious goal to be back for our last competition of the spring and she was able to achieve it.

Community

Smart is a Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM), which is a veteran student-athlete who has proven himself or herself as an exemplary role model. SAMs are nominated by their coaches and go through an interview and training process to be ready for their duties as a SAM in the fall.  SAMs facilitate small group discussions for the Utah State 101 course each fall and serve as positive role models on and off campus. Two SAMs are assigned 10 -15 new student-athletes and act as that group’s mentors throughout the semester and help assist new student-athletes in making a smooth transition to the university. In addition, she serves as a peer educator and liaison to her teammates. As a captain, she wanted to add a community service activity at the local Boys and Girls Club to set the tone of the school year for the team and to make sure that the team realized early on that with the honor of playing soccer at USU, there also came a responsibility to give back.  She is constantly volunteering to do activities for the Aggie Ambassador program, which gets student-athletes out into the community and local schools. Smart plans to apply to physician assistant schools after she graduates.  In order to prepare for this, she spent the summer gaining her EMT certificate.

Competition

Smart has earned all-Western Athletic Conference honors three straight seasons, earning second team honors in 2006 and first team honors in 2007 and 2008. She became USU’s all-time assist leader last season with 14 assists. She was the 2006 WAC Freshman of the Year. She has played in all 63 matches since 2006, scoring three goals and 14 assists for 20 points.