HALL OF FAME FEATURE: Sarah Smoot '17

When Sarah Smoot first stepped foot on Averett University’s campus on her official visit, she had no clue that a simple lunch would lead to an all-conference and Academic All-American career, three consecutive USA South Athletic Conference regular season championships and now an Averett Athletics Hall of Fame induction.

It was only fitting that she received news of the latest honor from Meg Stevens, Averett’s vice president, director of athletics and campus operations. Stevens played a factor in Smoot’s decision to come to Averett.

“I had no idea why Meg was calling me,” Smoot said. “I thought what in the world could she be possibly calling me about. … It didn’t once cross my mind that I was getting inducted into the Hall of Fame; if it did I would have taken the phone call in between seeing patients at work.”

Smoot currently works as an emergency room physician assistant for Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

“When she told me, I immediately got up from where I was sitting and went somewhere alone to try and compose myself,” she said. “I wasn’t really expecting it at all ... it was a very surreal moment for me. I’ve watched people like that, the Instagram post every year you see it and think, ‘You know, wow, these people are awesome’ and to be mentioned with their names is really amazing for me.”

Smoot says Stevens had a huge influence in her coming to Averett and is someone she looks up to, so being able to share that moment on the phone with Stevens made it even more special for her. 

“I always go back to the day that first stepped foot onto campus to tour and was unsure of how I felt about it and then Meg stopped and had lunch with me,” Smoot said.  “I thought how amazing is it that the athletic director decided that she could and wanted to spend lunch with me.”

During her four seasons at Averett, the team went a combined 107-40 with three-consecutive regular season titles and two USA South Conference Tournament championship match appearances. Smoot was a four-time all-conference performer on the court, earning USA South Honorable Mention honors in 2014 and 2015, USA South First Team East Division in 2016 and USA South Second Team East Division in 2017. In 531 sets over 147 matches, Smoot totaled 1,326 kills — eighth all-time in program history — for 2.50 kills per set with 492 digs and 81 total blocks while mainly playing on the front row.

“Sarah was an integral part of the team’s success during her career,” former Averett women’s volleyball head coach Danny Miller said. “With Sarah and Hannah (Shields) playing opposite of each other it was an amazing one-two punch and she deserves her recognition of one of the best players to come through the Averett volleyball program.” 

During Smoot’s senior season, Averett volleyball had its best year in program history, going 32-4 overall, 16-0 in conference — including an 18 game-winning streak — and a trip to the USA South Tournament championship match. 

Smoot was equally successful in the classroom. She was a 2017 Academic All-America Third Team selection by the College Sports Communicators while earn academic all-district honors three times and Virginia Sports Information Directors Academic All-State three times. She received the Mary C. Fugate Award for the bachelor's graduate with the highest grade point average from Averett upon graduation in December 2017.

The experiences and opportunities that Averett provided Smoot during her time as a student-athlete helped shape her into the person she is today. 

“When I first came to Averett I was super shy and introverted,” she said. “My first day at camp they accidentally left me at North Campus because I was off crying somewhere because I was homesick after a day.

However, Smoot grew as an individual on campus just as much as she developed on the court.

“I couldn’t have talked to people or work with people on a regular basis like I do now without the opportunities I got through Averett like being able to be a captain, being a part of student government, and sitting on leadership council,” Smoot said. “All of those opportunities that I got through Averett taught me that I can have social skills and interact with people. … I couldn’t have done any of it without Averett.”

Miller is proud of Smoot’s transformation.

“Sarah came in pretty quiet but worked hard and contributed but as she advanced in her career she became a much more vocal leader and when she spoke it carried weight,” Miller said. “Sarah had the respect of the team because they knew she wouldn’t say anything to them that she wouldn’t expect from herself.”

When reflecting on her playing career, Smoot says her favorite moments go back to beating former USA South Conference rival Meredith College. One of the individual highlights of her career in one moment happened her sophomore season when she made a set-winning solo block in the fourth set against Meredith that helped propel the team to a five-set victory of their rival in the Grant Center. 

“Sarah was an amazing teammate and player,” Miller said. “She was a coach’s dream, she played hard, was consistent, supportive of the team and never caused problems.”

Off the court, some of her favorite memories as a whole include the bus rides and the back-of-the-bus conversations, especially with former teammates like Brittany Daly and Ali Wall. 

Smoot was able to travel all over the world with the team during her time at Averett, including an international trip to Costa Rica to play following the conclusion of her senior season.

“It was so much fun to go on a nine-day vacation with your closest friends from college and play internationally,” Smoot said. “It was awesome to just experience that once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Playing wasn’t the only memorable thing that sticks out, spending time at an orphanage and teaching kids whose life hadn’t been the best about volleyball and the love for the game that Smoot holds was really impactful for her. 

Smoot’s impact on Averett women’s volleyball can still be felt today. 

“It’s really special to come back at things like the Cougar Classic and have people and parents come up to me and be like ‘Sarah how are you, how’s it going?’ and have them recognize me,” Smoot said. “It gives me butterflies that people are recognizing me after all these years.”

Miller said Smoot set a great example for others while leaving a positive impression.

“Sarah was a great person that cared about others and set an example that everyone should want to emulate,” Miller said. “It was a true pleasure coaching Sarah and I love when I get to see her after graduation and seeing her around campus whenever possible.”

Smoot says she didn’t fully recognize it in the moment, but now when she reflects, she realizes how good the team was and the attention they brought the university through their success. 

“When I come back and I look at those banners hanging in the Grant Center that that we did that as a team … we made that difference and had those crazy records,” Smoot said. “It’s a pretty surreal thing to sit back and think about.” 

Smoot and teammate Hannah Shields Contreras, who came to Averett as freshmen the same year, are both part of the 2023 Averett Athletics Hall of Fame class that will be inducted Oct. 14 during Homecoming Weekend.

“I think it’s a testament to that freshman class,” Contreras said. “Us going in together is a great way to remember that freshman class in a great way and for our legacy to be treasured and remembered forever. For us to go in together is a cool experience.”

After graduating Averett in three-and-a-half years, Smoot attended Wake Forest University for PA school and graduated in 2022. She currently resides in Greensboro. When she’s not busy helping save lives in the ER, Smoot can still be found playing volleyball most weekends when she can by competing in grass tournaments across the southeast.