As a Freshman, Ava Smid got a chance to play in all 25 games and started 24 of them. This season, through the first eight games, she has demonstrated her growth and talent as both a basketball player and a leader. 

As a sophomore, Smid is averaging 12.9 points per game, five points more than she averaged last year. Head coach Adam Jones described her as “a matchup problem for everybody else,” and she takes advantage of that every time she’s on the court. At 5’11”, she is oftentimes the tallest on the floor and can score with ease in the paint. To her credit, when Ava has an opportunity, she runs out in transition as good as anybody on DCG, a real strength of this team.

One of the most underrated parts of Smid’s game is how well she gets her hands in the passing lane. She is averaging three steals per game and is such a big part of why the coaching staff thinks this is the best defensive team in the league. 

Ava Smid is a safety release valve for the Mustangs and is a major reason why DCG is 8-0.