Two months after helping lead her team to the West Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinals, former University of the Pacific women’s basketball standout Liz Smith '24, '25 is bringing that same winning mentality to the Australia-National Basketball One League, a semi-professional league comprising 16 teams in eastern Australia.

Smith, a guard with the Sydney-based Hills Hornets, is the latest Tiger to sign professionally during Head Coach Bradley Davis’ tenure, which has sent 12 former players to the pro ranks. Smith also is the second in her family to become a professional athlete; her father Kevin Smith won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s.

“I’m fired up that Liz gets to continue her dream of playing professional basketball. She is the ultimate competitor, and I know she’s going to be the ultimate professional,” Davis said. “In recruiting, we talk about wanting our players to have options when their career as a Tiger comes to an end. In Liz’s case, she earned the opportunity to have professional basketball open even more doors down the line.”

In six games suiting up for the Hornets so far, Smith is averaging 13.2 points per outing and scored a career-high 27 points against the Inner West Bulls on May 14 to lead her team to a 113-84 win. The game marked her highest-scoring performance so far as a professional.

“My transition to playing professional basketball has had its ups and downs, but overall, I'm having a great time and adjusting well. The pace is definitely faster, and the physicality is a step up from college, but I'm loving the challenge of competing at this level,” Smith said.

Smith said the transition was made easier since she no longer needs to balance the responsibilities of being a student and an athlete. Smith received her bachelor’s degree in communications following the 2023-24 season and has been working towards an MBA.

“Being a full-time athlete with no student responsibilities is incredible,” she said. “I can dedicate all my energy to training, recovery and improving my game without having to juggle textbooks and deadlines.”

But perhaps the biggest milestone for Smith has reached thus far is realizing a dream set early and the validation of the sacrifices made in the name of the game.

“Reaching pro status feels surreal and incredibly validating. All those years of hard work, early mornings and late nights in the gym have paid off, and it's a fantastic feeling to be living out my dream,” she said.

As Smith trades in the orange and black Tiger jersey for the green and white Hornet jersey, she leaves behind an illustrious Pacific career, garnering the program record for minutes played and free throws alongside a top-10 scoring mark.

Smith is one of several recent Pacific graduates pursuing a professional basketball career. Her teammates Anaya James ’25, a psychology graduate, and Elizabeth Elliott ’25, a sociology major set to graduate this summer, signed agents and are seeking professional teams. Petar Krivokapic ’25, a communication graduate from the men’s basketball team, has also signed with an agent.

Across other sports, men’s water polo has five Tigers competing internationally, including four in the Australian Water Polo League. Bae Fountain ’25, who studied communication, and Jeremie Cote ’24, who studied finance, are playing for the Sydney Uni Lions. Reuel D’Souza ’24, a health and exercise science graduate, is playing for the Fremantle Marlins and Oliver Fodor ’25, who graduated with a business analytics degree, is playing for the Cronulla Sharks. Stefan Vavic ’25, a finance graduate, is playing professionally in Montenegro.

In volleyball, Margherita Giana ’25, a communication major and Darina Kumanova ’25, a finance major, will be playing professionally this fall in Europe. From men’s tennis, Justas Trainauskas ’25, who graduated with a degree in finance, will play professionally on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tour this summer.