With career coming to a close, Smith guides young Tigers

As senior co-captain Ali Smith approaches her last season on the women's basketball team, her goal is simple: "To leave knowing I gave it my all; to leave with no regrets."

The concept of hard work is not new for Smith. She has been giving it her all every day since she entered the program four years ago.

"Like all of our players, Ali has grown and matured over her four-year period at Princeton. She has always been a hard worker and a great teammate," head coach Richard Barron said. "She cares deeply for her team and her teammates, and that shows not only in her leadership but in her tremendous on-court effort every day."

Smith hails from Bozeman, Mont., a town with a population of just over 27,500 that uses the slogan "The Most Livable Place on Earth." She distinguished herself as a tri-varsity high school athlete, winning honors in both basketball and track throughout her secondary school career. Competition was natural for her, as she grew up challenging her three sisters — one older, one twin and one younger. All of the Smith girls are athletic, and Ali and her twin Kelli played basketball together throughout middle school and high school. Together they led their high school team to two state championships, with Ali as point guard and Kelli as post.

"My dad had all girls, but he also got all athletes, so it balances out a little bit," Smith said.

Basketball gave Smith an opportunity to travel, and she played on a summer team in Arizona for two summers. Her move to the East Coast was precipitated by a visit to Princeton during the fall of her senior year. Once Smith stepped on campus, she was determined to make it her academic, athletic and social home for the next four years.

Smith started in the Tigers' second game, and first win, her freshman year and played in 26 of the team's 28 games. Sophomore year was her best at Princeton, as she played in all of the Tigers' 27 games and started 14 of them. She was third on the team in three-pointers with 25, five of which came against Georgia Tech when she recorded a career-high 17 points.

Since then, however, her playing time has been reduced due to the influx of new, young talent, and her primary role on the team has shifted to providing Princeton with a spark off the bench.

"I mean, I'm not going to say [not getting as much playing time] is easy," Smith said. "It's definitely hard at times, but my goal this year is really just to put the team in front of myself and focus every day on making my teammates better. I'm focusing on my role as being a leader on the team and helping the team go forward to win games and be successful."

While a casual fan may not initially be able to see Smith's contributions to the team beyond her speed and three-point threat off the bench, her presence and enthusiasm are key to the Tigers' success.

"Ali is a really hard worker," senior co-captain Becky Brown said of her four-year teammate. "As a teammate, she is encouraging and really positive. Ali brings an unselfishness to the table that really helps others understand the need to put the team first."