ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University head women's basketball coach Rebecca Tillett has announced Tra'Dayja Smith an assistant coach. Smith spent the last three seasons as the starting point guard under Tillett at Longwood University, helping the team to a conference championship, the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance and the Lancers' first NCAA Tournament victory.
"Coaching alongside a former player has always been a dream of mine, and to think Tra'Dayja will be my first player to transition from point guard to teammate and colleague seems fitting," Tillett said. "Her success as a student-athlete can be a blueprint for the women on our team. Stay the course. Improve every day. Remain curious about the game. She has a bright mind and quick wit to challenge players and staff. She understands our offense from the foundation all the way to the high levels it can take a team. She grasps concepts quickly and has a way of helping others grasp them too.
"Tra'Dayja will work with our point guards and combo guards so they too can lead a program to great heights. She has an innate ability to reach people of any age and connect them to the shared vision for the program."
"I am honored to be joining the incredible Saint Louis University community," Smith said. "I am grateful to team up with Coach Tillett and her staff as we look to build a championship culture at SLU. I want to thank Chris May and Dr. Janet Oberle for giving me the opportunity to embark on this new journey in St. Louis. This program, the entire athletics department and the wonderful community are hungry to make runs in the NCAA tournament, and we can't wait to begin the work that it takes. Go Billikens!"
Smith was one of the top point guards in the country last season, ranking 19th in the NCAA with 179 totals assists and 22nd with 5.3 assists per game. Winners in 15 of their final 17 games this past season, she helped guide the Lancers to their best overall and league records since joining the Big South almost 10 years ago, finishing 22-12 overall and 15-3 in the conference.
In her three seasons with the Lancers, Smith totaled 502 helpers. With 188 as a junior in 2019-20 and 179 as a graduate student in 2021-22, she holds the top two single-season assist totals in Longwood women's basketball history. In her junior campaign, Smith ranked fourth in the NCAA with an average of 6.5 assists.
Smith started every game for the Lancers since her arrival from Trinity Valley Community College in 2019-20. She helped lead Longwood to 48 victories over that span and the first two postseason appearances for the program.
Smith earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Longwood in 2021. She'll complete a Master of Business Administration from Longwood this spring.
