Dana (Smith) DesJarlais is 2015-16 SEC Legend

The Gators are proud to announce that Dana (Smith) DesJarlais [pronounced: deh-ZHAR-lay]    is their 2016 Southeastern Conference Legend.

DesJarlais currently resides with her family in Jacksonville, site of the 2016 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament, where she and the rest of the 2016 Class of Women’s Legends will be formally recognized.

WHO THEY ARE:

The SEC 2016 Class of Women’s Legends showcases former student-athletes, coaches and administrators from all 14 SEC member institutions.

FORMAL RECOGNITION:

  • The class will be honored at the 2016 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament, March 2-6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Each legend will be honored during half-time of their team’s first game of the tournament.
  • All 14 individuals will also be honored as a group, as well as participate in an autograph session during the tournament.
  • Complimentary posters of the Legends will be available at the session.

DANA’S QUICK HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Dana Smith, a 5-foot-8 guard from St. Cloud, Florida, was a four-year letterwinner and starter for the Gator women’s basketball team from 1994-98.
  • Team tri-captain her senior year.
  • Graduated from St. Cloud High School as the state of Florida’s all-time prep scorer (male or female) with 3,469 points and ranked eighth all-time on the national list and despite her scoring prowess, assumed the traditional role of point guard distributor and dished to legendary post players DeLisha Milton and Murriel Page.
  • In spite of her point guard role with two All-American post players, Smith scored 828 career points and averaged 29.8 minutes per game.
  • Smith started 107 of the 125 games she played.
  • In UF’s all-time record book (upon graduation), Smith ranked:

o    No. 1 three-point FG pct. (32.6%)

o    No. 2 three-pointers (142)

o    No. 2 three pointers attempted (435)

o    Tied-No. 2 games played (125)

o    No. 5 assists (368)

o    No. 7 steals (183)

  • Established UF season record for minutes played (1,193 minutes in 1996-97)
  • 31 double-figure scoring games and two double-doubles
  • A gutsy defender who led the team in charges taken every year
  • Her tenure at UF was the most successful stretch during program history:

o    was 92-36 during her four-year career, won at least 21 games each of those seasons, reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA twice, the NCAA Elite Eight once and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament every year.

  • Career stats totals:

o    Points: 828 (6.6 pg)

o    Assists: 368 (1.5 pg)

o    Rebounds: 344 (2.8 pg)

o    Steals: 183 (1.5 pg)

o    Games Played: 125 (started 107)

Smith’s Career Individual Game Highs

Pts 21-2x last vs. Fla. Int’l, 3/15/97
Rbs 12-vs. Tennessee, 1/21/97
Ast 12 vs. South Carolina, 1/17/98
Stl 6-at Miss. State, 2/22/97
Blk 1-5x last vs. Alabama, 12/21/97
Min 48-at Texas, 11/26/96
FG 9-vs. Fla. Int’l, 3/15/97
FGA 17-vs. Fla. Int’l, 3/15/97
3FG 5-vs. Southern Cal, 3/17/97
3FGA 10-2x last at Alabama, 2/17/96
FT 7- vs Florida State, 11/20/97
FTA 11 vs. Purdue, 12/12/97

CURRENT INFORMATION:

  • After assuming a basketball coaching career upon graduation, Dana has been working with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars as the Assistant to the General Manager and Administrator of Football Operations.

FAMILY:

  • husband Jason, two children

Below is the complete list of the 2016 SEC Women’s Legends:

ALABAMA – Sarah Patterson, Gymnastics (Coach), 1979-2014

ARKANSAS – Veronica Campbell Brown, Track & Field, 2004

AUBURN – Kim Evans, Women’s Golf (Coach), 1994-2015

FLORIDA – Dana Smith DesJarlais, Basketball, 1994-1998

GEORGIA – Andy Landers, Basketball (Coach), 1979-2015

KENTUCKY – Tina Johnson Ybarra, Swimming & Diving, 1994-1996

LSU – Sylvia Fowles, Basketball, 2004-2008

OLE MISS – Paloma Collantes- Hansen, Tennis, 1991-1994

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Chelsea Bramlett-Malone, Softball, 2007-2010

MISSOURI – Lorraine Ferret, Basketball, 1979-1983

SOUTH CAROLINA – Denise Nanney- White, Basketball, 1975-1977

TENNESSEE – Shyra Ely-Gash, Basketball, 2001-2005

TEXAS A&M – Toccara Williams, Basketball, 2000-2004

VANDERBILT – Ashley Earley, Basketball, 2001-2005

 

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