Nina Smith

 6'4 center

       Freshman

Smith represents the ultimate recruiting coup for Jane Albright.  She was likely the most highly recruited high school player in the nation in 1998.   Pat Summit said that the powerful 215 pounder has the best hands and footwork of any high school post player she's ever seen.  Averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks a game, while shooting 76.4% from the floor.  Her conditioning will be an issue as will her response to the pressure she will be under when she gets to campus.  She did lose weight during the summer of 1997 and she has lived with the pressure of great expectations since she received her first recruiting letter when she was in the fifth grade.  Nina spent the better part of the summer of 1998 in Madison working out with her future teammates.  She will fit right in with her slow-footed teammates but she moves well around the basket and she catches most everything she can get her hands on.  She isn't going to have to step in and be the savior for this team.  Her presence will allow Jessie Stomski to move to power forward and LaTonya Sims to move to the perimeter.  Nina will force Big 10 teams to find a way to guard both her and Stomski around the basket.  It doesn't appear that any team in the league can physically match up with them.  Two of the Badgers' main weaknesses last year were rebounding and post defense.  Smith should help in both areas.

Honors:  1999  Street and Smith pre-season first team all-American, number one rated recruit nationally by Street and Smith and Blue Star Index, Women's Basketball Coaches Association national prep player of the year,  Parade Magazine national prep player of the year, USA Today national player of the year, Miss Iowa basketball.
               1998  first team Parade all-American
               1997  fourth team Parade all-American
 
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