Shelly Smart

Shelly Smart

Class of 1996
Inducted in 2009

Shelly Smart ’96 was an All-America selection in doubles in women’s tennis and was a 4-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference choice in singles and 3-time pick in doubles. She played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles her freshman year, going 12-8 in singles and 10-9 in doubles on the way to second-team All-NCAC laurels in singles. The Bishops were 11-9 and finished sixth in the NCAC tournament. Her sophomore year, she was 12-4 at No. 2 singles going into the NCAC tournament. She was part of the No. 1 doubles team that went 20-0 at No. 1 doubles, helping Bishops to a best-ever 15-2 record going into NCAC tournament. She received second-team All-NCAC honors in singles and first-team in doubles. The doubles team was ranked No. 13 by Rolex but did not receive bid to NCAA tournament. Her junior year, the No. 1 doubles team finished seventh in the Rolex national doubles tournament. She improved to 13-5 at No. 2 singles and won the only match she played at No. 1 singles, and went 16-3 at No. 1 doubles, including losses to Temple and Baylor to start the spring season. In a match against Denison, she came back after losing the first set at No. 2 singles to win the match, giving OWU 5-4 win for its first win over Denison since 1979. She was a first-team all-conference pick in both singles and doubles as the team finished with 14-5 record, advancing to NCAC championship match for the first time. As a senior, she was part of the Rolex Ohio champion doubles team and advanced to the Rolex national doubles tournament, where Bishops advanced to the finals. She compiled a record of 11-6 at No. 2 singles and won her first 20 at No. 1 doubles, receiving an NCAA bid in doubles, where the Bishops moved to the quarterfinals, losing to the eventual national champion, to receive All-America honors. She received second-team All-NCAC honors in singles and first-team in doubles as the team finished with 13-7 record and finished third in NCAC tournament. Her career record was 50-26 in singles and 67-12 at No. 1 doubles.