Raleigh, NC -- After two successful years at the helm of the women's basketball program, William Peace University would like to thank Coach Grahm Smith as he moves on to the position of Head Women's Basketball Coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University, a Division II program in the South Atlantic Conference.

In reflecting on his time with the WPU, Smith said, "The last two years at Peace have been nothing short of amazing! I would like to thank President Dr. Brian Ralph, Vice President for Student Life Frank Rizzo, Director of Athletics Tom Curle, Associate Director of Athletics Claude Shields, and Assistant Athletic Director Nicole Barringer for their leadership support. One of the best parts of working at Peace was the people and the relationships that were developed which I am very thankful for and will cherish forever. I am thankful for the opportunity to coach some wonderful and amazing student-athletes and for the relationships that were built on and off the court. I truly enjoyed and cherished my time there! The success that we had was a collaborative and group effort and I am appreciative of everyone who played a role in that which starts from the top and from administration. Peace is a special place!"

Coach Smith will complete his term with the Pacers with an outstanding (39-16) overall record as he led the program to back-to-back USA South Tournament appearances, while also recording two back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2004-05/2005-06 seasons. Smith coached the Pacers to a (23-5) record in the 2019-20 season, securing the regular season USA South East Division title, which would mark the first outright title win in WPU history. This would also mark a new program record as the team finished with the most wins in a regular season in the school's NCAA era. 

Smith coached the Pacers to their first NCAA tournament appearance in program history as they received an at-large bid to compete against Oglethorpe University. Smith was awarded the USA South Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season. During his time with the Pacers, Smith also had 5 USA South All-Conference selections.

Athletic Director Tom Curle had this to say about Coach Smith, "In two seasons, Coach Smith energized our women's basketball program and laid a strong foundation for the future success of our student-athletes.  We appreciate his outstanding contributions to the university, athletic department and students, and wish him well as he moves forward in his coaching career.  We will begin a national search for his replacement and believe we will attract quality candidates who will follow in Coach Smith's footsteps."

For the latest news and updates from William Peace University Athletics, please visit: gopeacepacers.com , Facebook , or follow the Pacers on Instagram and Twitter at @gopeacepacers.