University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Van Smith was a tennis letterman as a freshman in 1957 and a football letter winner as a senior in 1959, but his real success as a Broncho came on the hard courts and the cinder ovals.

Smith was the premiere sprinter in the state as a sophomore and junior. He won Oklahoma Collegiate Conference titles in the 100-and 220-yard dashes, the 220 low hurdles and the long jump in 1959, earning NAIA All-America honors in the hurdles.

Smith was also a three year starter in basketball who twice earned All-Oklahoma Collegiate Conference acclaim while leading UCO to a combined 56-24 record and the 1959 NAIA national tournament.

The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 15.7 points as a sophomore in 1957-58, 16.4 points as a junior and 18.7 points as a senior in 1959-60.  He scored 574 points as a senior, the ninth-best single-season total in school history, and ranks among the school’s career scoring leaders with 1,326 points.