She left Eugene in 1982 as the greatest player in Oregon women’s basketball history.
Today, Bev Smith returns as the Ducks’ next hope to continue a winning tradition for which she laid the foundation.
Smith was named Oregon’s new head coach Thursday, replacing the departed Jody Runge.
“It just felt right,” Smith said. “I really look forward to being a Duck again. It feels like home.”
The Salmon Arm, British Columbia, native played for the Ducks from 1978-1982 and helped lead to the team to its first NCAA playoff berth in school history. Smith left Oregon with a resumé a mile long.
Accolades from her collegiate days include two Kodak All-American selections, four first-team All-Northwest Basketball League selections, the No. 2 spot on the all-time scoring list, the single-game point, rebound and steals records, and much more.
Even after she graduated from Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in human performance, honors continued to come for Smith. The team’s most inspirational trophy was changed to the “Bev Smith Award,” and she was inducted into Oregon’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in 1992, where she is one of only four women’s basketball representatives.

Smith was one of former head coach Elwin Heiny’s first recruits and played in one of the most successful four-year spans in program history. In her tenure at Oregon, the Ducks compiled a 93-19 record. Smith led the Ducks to a women’s National Invitational Tournament berth, two AIAW Tournament berths and the team’s first NCAA berth in 1982.
Smith played on three Canadian Olympic teams along with former Oregon teammate Allison Lang-Robertson in 1980, 1984 and 1996. Canada finished fourth at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
During that time, Smith also played professional basketball in Italy for 15 years. She helped lead Vivo Vicenza to the Italian National Championship and the European Cup in 1993. Smith retired from professional basketball in 1996 after the Atlanta Olympics.
Smith’s coaching career began in 1985 as a player-coach for Ferrara of the Italian League. Three years later, Smith became a full-time head coach at the University of British Columbia.
Since then, Smith has been the coach of the Canadian National Team and has rebuilt the program following a disappointing performance in 1996. Smith guided the Canadians to the 2000 Olympics and a third-place finish at the Pan-American games in 1999, their highest placing ever.
“I had the opportunity to play on the Canadian National Team and represent the team in two Olympics,” Smith said. “And I’ve had the opportunity to go back and be the coach of that team. That doesn’t happen very often. The fact that I’m back at the University of Oregon is a dream come true.”