McMurry University Athletics

Nancy Pittard Smith joined the McMurry women’s basketball team in the program’s infancy as her freshman season was just the second-season for the university to sponsor the women’s program. She was instrumental in establishing the Indians as a program including helping McMurry to its first two winning seasons her sophomore and junior seasons.

She scored 823 points in her three-year career, set school records for most free throws made and most free throws attempted, and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1977-78.

Smith graduated from McMurry in December of 1978 with a degree in elementary education. She was heavily involved in on-campus activities in addition to her athletics career. She was a member of the TIP Social Club and an honors student. Smith went on to get a master’s degree in 1982 from North Texas State University. She returned to McMurry in 1983 where she worked in the admissions office, as an instructor and as the associate dean of students until 1991. She worked for the Abilene Education Council for seven years before spending eight years at the West Central Texas Workforce Development Board until 2006. She returned to McM to work in the Advancement Office in 2006.