SMITH NAMED 2006 FIGHTING TIGER FEMALE AHTLETE OF THE YEAR

The SUNY Cobleskill Athletic Department has named Dee Dee Smith of Monticello, NY as the program’s 2006 Fred Bennett Women's Outstanding Athlete Award winner. Smith was honored with the award at the college’s recent Athletic Awards Convocation. The Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, NY alumnus was a two-year starter for the Fighting Tiger women's basketball team serving as captain this past year. The 5’9” forward averaged 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.7 steals and 0.9 blocked shots per contest for during this past season.

The Fighting Tiger forward has been honored as an Honorable Mention All-American selection to the 2006 NJCAA Division III All-American Team after being selected as an Honorable Mention All-American in 2005. She became only the second player in program history to earn NJCAA All-American honors during both seasons of her Fighting Tiger career. Additionally she was a two-time All-NJCAA Region III and All-Mountain Valley Conference First Team selection by the region and league’s coaches.

Smith led the Fighting Tiger women’s team to the best season in the program’s history as Cobleskill finished the year with a 24-5 overall record including a 13-3 mark in Mountain Valley Conference play. The season was the Fighting Tigers second consecutive twenty-win season and saw the team advance to the semi-final round of the 2006 NJCAA Region III Division III Championship Tournament. During her time at Cobleskill the team posted an overall record of 46-11.

Named in honor of former Fighting Tiger Athletic Director Fred Bennett, the award is presented annually to the Cobleskill senior athlete whose career has been deemed by the college’s athletic staff to be the most outstanding of all female student/athletes in the program.