Hall of Fame
Kelly Smith put together one of the greatest four-year careers in the history of the Keene State College field hockey program after a successful walk-on tryout upon her arrival to campus, going on to be a two-time Second Team All-American and Little East Conference (LEC) Player of the Year. She was the first-ever player to be named a LEC Player of the Year on multiple occasions and in consecutive years, and was the Conference’s first-ever three-time First-Team All-LEC selection.
The Lisbon, New Hampshire native helped establish Keene State as the most successful field hockey program in LEC history, as the Owls captured each of the Conference’s first two tournament championships in 1998 and 1999 in addition to advancing to the 2000 title match. The 1998 team finished the season with a record of 16-6, setting a then-program record for wins as the Owls qualified for their first-ever NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Smith helped lead Keene State to a record 17 victories in 2000 as a senior.
At the conclusion of her career, Smith was first all-time at Keene State in assists (37) and ranked second in goals (51) and points (139, while her 13 assists and six defensive saves during the 2000 campaign were program records. She remains in the top-10 of each category to this day.
Smith earned her bachelor’s degree in physical education from Keene State in 2001, and was inducted into the College’s Athletics/Alumni Hall of Fame in 2013.