The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Vermilion’s Smith commits to Heidelberg
Vermilion’s Clara Smith is ready to make the leap to the next level, after committing to Heidelberg University on June 14.
Smith will play basketball for the Student Princes after three seasons on the Sailors’ varsity roster.
Her time on the Sailors basketball team wasn’t always easy, as the program had three coaches in her four years. But Smith’s love for the game never wavered, which she credits to former Vermilion assistant and head coach Skip Davis.
“Honestly Skip Davis really inspired me to keep playing basketball even though he was only my coach for three years. He was the one who was there for me basically the entire time and I still talk to him to this day,” she said. “Obviously I went through a few coaches, so I’ve had a lot of different experiences, and I’ve found my love for the game through all of it.”
In her final season, under head coach Jason Sockel, Smith averaged 9.4 points a game and finished with 28 made 3-pointers, good enough for 10th in the Morning Journal coverage area.
Smith featured heavily in Vermilion’s first win of the 2019 season, scoring 25 points including nine in the fourth quarter against Tiffin Columbian. She was also selected to the all-county second-team for the second time in her career.
During her final two years at Vermilion, Smith was also a runner on the Sailors’ cross country team.
In her final campaign she finished as one of the team’s top runners, posting a career best of 23:09.
“Cross country in general helps tremendously,” Smith said. “My first year I ran was my sophomore year so I was really new to it. But going from cross country to basketball was a good transition, because it helped me become a stronger basketball player.”
The move to Heidelberg is a long time coming for Smith, who says she’s wanted to play college basketball her entire life.
“I visited the campus last summer and I wanted to go to a small campus anyway, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play basketball,” she said. “But I met the coach and she seemed really cool, she came to my games and kept telling me to come to Heidelberg. And I loved their campus so I guess that’s what got me there.”
The Student Princes will have a new head coach when Smith arrives on campus in the fall, as the university announced the hiring of Rachel Ferri on June 12.
“She’s actually going to be calling me some time this week, but I haven’t talked to her yet,” Smith said. “I didn’t know they were going to get a new coach, but she seems cool, and I’m still really excited to go there.”
Smith was recruited by Morgan Harrigan, who coached the Heidelberg women’s team for seven years before moving to a new role as director of academic support at the school’s center for teaching.
Smith is planning on studying business at Heidelberg, but is unsure of what focus she will select.