NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion University Athletics is saddened to announce the passing of former ODU men’s basketball player and ODU Sports Hall of Famer Frank Smith (Class of ’88) on Sunday morning.
One of the most solid point guards in Old Dominion University history, Smith completed his career in 1988 as the NCAA's third all-time assist leader, the Sun Belt Conference all-time assist leader and Old Dominion University's all-time assist leader with 883. As an outstanding defensive player, Smith has 295 steals for his career which tops both Old Dominion and the Sun Belt Conference all-time lists.
In four seasons and 120 career games between 1984 and 1988, Smith averaged 7.4 assists per game and 2.5 steals per contest. Smith led the Sun Belt Conference in 1986, and 1988 with 8.1 assists per game. He led the league with a career best of 8.2 in 1987, ranking him in the nation's top ten in all three of those seasons. In 1988, he came up with 83 steals for a 2.8 per game average, both school records. He dished out a career high 16 assists against Jacksonville in 1988. In the 1985 Sun Belt Conference tournament, Smith dished out a tournament record 12 assists twice.
But Smith's most remarkable statistic was his endurance. Frank averaged 38.5 minutes per game in 1986-87 and played 40 plus minutes 13 times that season, and 30 times for his career.
Smith earned honors from the moment he put on a Monarch uniform. In 1985, he was named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Rookie squad. He earned All-Conference honors in 1986 and in 1988 earned honorable mention All-America honors by THE SPORTING NEWS. Smith completed his career at Old Dominion with 881 career points.
He competed in the 1985 Olympic Festival where he captained the South squad to a silver medal. He served as the Monarch team captain in 1987 and 1988. Smith graduated with a degree in finance and accounting. After graduation, Smith returned to Old Dominion where he was an assistant coach to fellow Hall of Famer Oliver Purnell from 1992 to 1994.He served as Purnell's assist at Dayton, and then at Clemson. He has been working at the NCAA enforcement office.
Smith was inducted into the ODU Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.