By Tommy Wells
Ranger College Public Information Officer/Sports Information Director
Nicole Smith wasn’t under any false illusions when she agreed to become the head volleyball coach at Ranger College. Turning the struggling Lady Rangers’ program into a NJCAA power could be akin to climbing a mountain.
A very tall mountain.
It’s a challenge she feels up to.
“I’m excited about being at Ranger College,” said Smith, who was hired earlier this month to replace Brent Lewis at the helm of the RC program. “I look at this as a great opportunity. We have a good nucleus of players back and some good freshman coming in. We’re going to work hard, succeed on and off the court and be a family.”
Ranger College is coming off an 11-16 record last season, including a tough 4-8 mark in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.
Despite stepping into the head coaching position on July 5, Smith said she expects her team to compete this season.
“We certainly don’t want to be a second-tier team,” she said. “We know we have our work cut out for us, but we expect to compete. The opportunity is there for us.”
A successful club level coach in the Houston area over the past four seasons, Smith is no stranger to the college ranks. Prior to coaching at the club level, she served as the head coach at Blinn College for six years and then spent two more seasons with Hill College before departing to start the volleyball program in 2005 at The University of Arkansas-Monticello, an NCAA Division II squad.
Under her tutelage, both Blinn and Hill qualified for the Region V volleyball tournament during her tenures at each school.
An alum of Francis Mary University in Florence, S.C., Smith played collegiate volleyball after graduating from Baytown Sterling. She played initially at Lee College, which was ranked No. 13 in the nation her sophomore season. After finishing at Lee College, she finished her career at Francis Marion University.
The Lady Rangers will begin preseason drills for the upcoming season on Aug. 12.
Be the first to comment