For the fourth time in two years, a women's basketball player is transferring away from Duke.
Freshman center Brooke Smith announced Tuesday that she will continue her education and basketball career at some place closer to her hometown of San Anselmo, Calif.
Smith joins Rometra Craig and Crystal White, who transferred Dec. 10, 2001, and LaNedra Brown and Lello Gebisa, who left the University at the end of the 2001 spring semester. At that time, Olga Gvozdenovic also left the program, but remained at Duke.
Smith played in 25 games for the Blue Devils as a freshman, but she saw her minutes wane throughout the season.
"We love Brooke and think the world of her," head coach Gail Goestenkors said. "We understand she wants to get closer to home and wish her the very best in the future."
Despite playing just five minutes in Duke's five NCAA Tournament games, Smith averaged 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 9.3 minutes per game throughout the season. She was highly regarded coming out of Marin Catholic High School, where she averaged 14.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 53.0 percent from the floor. As a senior she was named to the WBCA All-American team, and she selected Duke over Stanford in a competitive recruiting battle.
Smith, who did not specify where she might be going, was part of Duke's class of 2006 that was regarded - along with Connecticut's freshman class - as one of the best two in the country. Fellow freshman Mistie Bass joined Smith in the paint, and the Wisconsin native averaged over 16 minutes per game and started 15 contests. Smith also lost out to senior Michele Matyasovsky, junior Iciss Tillis and sophomore Wynter Whitley for minutes in the paint.
Next year, the Blue Devils add two highly recruited post players in Brittany Hunter and Alison Bales, who would likely have taken more minutes away from Smith.
"My experience at Duke has been great," Smith said. "I have learned a lot about basketball, and it was a great experience going to the NCAA Final Four last season. It was an honor to play for this team, and with all the talented athletes at Duke. At this point, I think it is in my best interest to attend an institution closer to home."
With the loss of Smith and the graduation of Matyasovsky and Sheana Mosch, as well as the addition of the two freshmen and the return from ACL injuries of Monique Currie and Caitlin Howe, the Blue Devils will have a roster of 11 in 2003-2004.
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