Nomination year: 2023

Nominated by: Joe Sims

Nomination Category: Athletes & Coaches

Sport: Basketball & Volleyball

Years Participated: 2009-2012

Career Summary:

Cassandra (Cooper) Smith was a great athlete for Clay County High School from 2009 to 2012, excelling in both basketball and volleyball.  On the hardwood she was an excellent post player and helped lead her team to the 2012 State Championship her senior season.

As a two-year starter in basketball, Smith scored 778 points and pulled down 467 rebounds in her career as a Lady Bulldog.  She was viewed as one of the best players in the district her senior season, when she averaged 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

For her efforts in basketball, Smith was named All-Tri-Lakes Conference 3rd Team her junior year and All-Tri-Lakes Conference 1st Team, District All-Tournament Team, and Region All-Tournament Team selections her senior season—when she was also named to the State All-Tournament Team, the Herald Citizen All-Upper Cumberland 1st Team, and the TSWA All-State Team.

Smith was also an exceptional volleyball player as a four-year starter and all-district performer, where she helped her team finish near the top of the district and reach the region tournament each year.  Individually she was named to the All-District, District All-Tournament, and Region All-Tournament teams both her sophomore and junior years.  Smith was also an All-District player her senior season and was named the District Tournament MVP.

Nominator comment:

“Casey was a star player on arguably the best girls basketball team in county history, which won the 2012 State Championship.

“She had offers to play both basketball and volleyball in college, but decided to go to school and get a degree from Tennessee Tech.  Casey was one of the best athletes in school history and definitely deserves induction into the Clay County Sports Hall of Fame.”