Jennifer Smith Selected As New Head Women’s Basketball Coach

Lansing, Michigan 

Director of Athletics Jacob Leyrer has announced the hiring of Jennifer Smith as the new head coach of the Great Lakes Christian College Women's Basketball program. Smith brings a wealth of experience and a deep connection to the Michigan basketball community.

A Lansing native, Smith’s standout career began at Dewitt High School, where she would finish her career with 1,011 points and an induction into the Dewitt High School Hall of Fame. Next, Smith would further establish herself with an exceptional 4 years at the University of Michigan. As a Wolverine, she would go on to set a career high her senior year with a total of 659 points in the 2003-04 season; leading the conference that year with an average of 21.3 points per game. Stat wise, Smith remains on the all time leaderboards for numerous statistics, including: Single Season Points, Career Points, Career Free Throws, Career Free Throw Percentage,  Career Points Per Game, Single Game Points. Smith would then go on to play professionally for the New York Liberty in the WNBA and overseas with the Good Angels in Slovakia.

Smith had this to say:

I express my sincere gratitude to Great Lakes Christian College and President Dr. Frank Weller, Vice President Greg Stauffer, Athletic Director Jacob Leyrer, and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Elijah Kess for the privilege of assuming the position of Head Women’s Basketball Coach. As a lifelong resident of the greater Lansing area, I am exceptionally enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as a leader and mentor at GLCC. I intend to leverage my extensive playing and coaching experience to cultivate a culture of success, extending beyond the basketball court to encompass life beyond athletics. I eagerly anticipate this endeavor and am fully committed to supporting the growth and success of both the athletic and academic departments. I am dedicated to upholding the institution's core values and achieving excellence through unity, diligence, and mutual trust.

Jacob Leyrer, Great Lakes Christian College's Athletic Director, expressed great enthusiasm about the hire: "Jennifer Smith's extensive playing experience and her deep roots in Lansing basketball make her the perfect fit for our program. We look forward to seeing her lead our student-athletes to new heights on and off the court. She will definitely elevate our women's basketball program in the short and long term.”