Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Connie Price-Smith named 2007 SIUC Woman of Distinction
03/29/2007 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
March 29, 2007
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University track and field head coach Connie Price-Smith was honored by SIUC's University Women's Professional Advancement (UWPA) committee with the campus' 2007 Woman of Distinction award in the area of administrative/professionals Tuesday night.
According to the UWPA web site, each spring the UWPA seeks nominations of outstanding women for University Women of Distinction Awards. These awards are presented annually to several exceptional women: faculty, administrative/professionals and civil service staff.
The award is designed to recognize women who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to diversity, including racial/ethnic, gender, sexual preference, disability and/or class. Commitment is defined as "demonstrated leadership, vision, and action in their profession or area of expertise as well as in service to their university and community."
Price-Smith was nominated by SIU Director of Athletics Mario Moccia and Senior Women's Administrator Kathy Jones.
"In addition to great credentials, she has a great capacity to make everyone she comes in contact with feel comfortable," Jones said. "She is an incredible role model for our minority and female student-athletes and staff."
Price-Smith is in her third year at the head coach of both the men's and women's track and field programs at SIU. Prior to taking over both programs, she was the women's head coach for three years. She was named the 2005 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Coach of the Year and has been selected to serve as an assistant or head coach on several USA Track and Field international teams, including being named head coach for the U.S. National Team at the 2007 Pan America Games in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil, and the throws coach for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Beijing, China.
The four-time Olympian is a 25-time national champion in the shot put and discus, throwing just one year at SIU following a successful four-year college basketball career. Price-Smith was inducted in the SIU Sports Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001.
"This award is an honor," Price-Smith said. "To be recognized by the school where I received my degree is very special to me."
Price-Smith is one of just three coaches from the athletic department to be honored with the distinction. Former associate AD and head coach Charlotte West received the honor in 1989, the year of the award's conception. Former SIU softball coach Kay Brechtelsbauer was the 1993 honoree. Nancy Bandy, former director of compliance, was also honored in 2001 out of the athletic department.
