Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 11/15/16. Alex Smith from Grace Academy is being recognized as an outstanding Volleyball player during the 2016 Best of Preps. Photo taken in the CTFP studio on November, 15, 2016. Grace Baptist Academy's Alexandra Smith signed scholarship papers Wednesday to continue her volleyball career at Samford University, and the school surprised her during her signing party by announcing that the Lady Golden Eagles' volleyball program is retiring her jersey number, 14.
Smith, who tore an ACL playing club volleyball in January and had surgery March 1, originally committed to play at Middle Tennessee State. But because of a coaching change, she decided to reconsider her options. She felt like Samford and coach Keylor Chan's offer suited her best.
"I started going on visits to schools after I tore my ACL and found out what coaches were really interested in me," said Smith, who toured the campus near Birmingham, Ala., in early February and related how welcoming the visit went. "It made Samford's offer stand out even more. Keylor didn't give up on me."
Smith, who will redshirt as a freshman, is easily the most decorated volleyball player in Grace history. She registered 503 kills, 386 digs, 62 aces and 36 blocks as a senior, when she was named to the Times Free Press Best of Preps first team and was a Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state selection in Class A for a second time.
She has received numerous all-district and all-region awards - both regular season and tournament - and her 2,188 kills at Grace are the most in program history. She's also an A student who plans to study biology.
"The administration and athletic department of Grace Baptist Academy is very proud of Alexandra's accomplishments and very excited about her future plans," athletic director Tommy Morrell said in a school release. "She has proven on the court and in the classroom that she has the stuff champions are made of.
"We truly believe that Samford University will be a better place because Alexandra will be a part of that community. She is certainly an impact player on the court and in the classroom. Her determination and drive will help her make a difference at Samford."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.