Home » Home » Don Smith Led Titans to Both Men’s and Women’s State Championships While at Brevard Community College

Don Smith Led Titans to Both Men’s and Women’s State Championships While at Brevard Community College

By  //  May 4, 2020

finished with 288 wins at Brevard Community College, second-most in program history

Former Brevard Community College men’s basketball coach, Don Smith, took over the program in 1985 and immediately turned it around, winning 21 games in his first season. Smith would win 28 games in his second season at the helm, including a state championship and was named the state coach of the year. It would be the first of two state championships Smith won with Brevard Community College.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Former Brevard Community College men’s basketball coach, Don Smith, took over the program in 1985 and immediately turned it around, winning 21 games in his first season.

Smith would win 28 games in his second season at the helm, including a state championship and was named the state coach of the year.

It would be the first of two state championships Smith won with Brevard Community College.

Overall, Smith finished with 288 wins at Brevard Community College, which is the second-most in program history.

He finished his BCC career with a .610 winning percentage and averaged 19.2 wins per season.

“To be inducted into this Hall of Fame is the ultimate honor for any coach,” Smith said.

“I share this honor with my assistant coaches and with the many wonderful players that I have had the pleasure to coach here and throughout my career.”

In his final season with Brevard Community College, Smith set a then-program record with 29 wins and his second state tournament championship in the 1999-2000 season.

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The team would advance to the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament for the first time since 1979, finishing 1-2 in the tournament.

In his 14 seasons, the Montana resident was named the state coach of the year twice and had seven 20-win seasons at Brevard Community College.

Smith was also the Athletic Director at then-Brevard Community College and led the women’s basketball program to a state tournament berth as well during his time in Melbourne.

Smith was named to the Florida College System Activities Association Hall of Fame in 1996.

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Before coming to Brevard County, Smith spent 12 seasons at the University of New Orleans, finishing as the head men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director. He was also an assistant coach at Georgia Southern from 1971 to 1973.

“Coach Don Smith was one of the most outstanding basketball coaches to every coach at Brevard Community College and I have watched them all,” said Tom Wasdin, a local businessman and a former coach at Jacksonville University.

“He also was instrumental in bringing National AAU basketball to Florida’s Space Coast.  As Athletic Director, he was very helpful in preventing BCC from dropping all sports teams. I also had the privilege of sitting with him on the beach with him during the Junior College State Tournament and the National Junior College Tournament.  He’s a fine gentleman and friend.”

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THE 2020 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony has been postponed and a new date will be announced on June 1.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the 2020 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-323-4460 or 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame is located in the main athletic building on the Melbourne Campus of Eastern Florida State College. Portraits and biographies of the Hall of Famers are displayed on the wall in the building’s main hallway that runs parallel to the gym and outside the athletic department offices. Memorabilia items and related sports artifacts will be added to the display over time.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced an impressive array of outstanding individuals to be inducted into the 2020 Class of the Hall of Fame.

The 2020 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Sports Awards has been postponed and a new date will be announced June 1.

The 2020 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction event, and the 2020 High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards, are sponsored by Health First, Erdman Automotive, All Points, Clear Choice Health Care, Savings Safari, Friday Night Locker Room and Rock Paper Simple.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame includes an impressive array of outstanding individuals to be inducted into the 2020 Class of the Hall of Fame.

Dozens of nominees were considered in four categories including professional sports, college sports, high school sports and amateur sports.

Special honorary recognition will also be bestowed upon individuals and teams that have made significant contributions to sports on the Space Coast.

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Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and has so far inducted more than 160 of Brevard County’s most outstanding athletes, coaches and sports personalities.

Serving on the committee are Space Coast Daily President & Publisher Tom Palermo, Vice President Giles Malone, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jim Palermo, Managing Editor Zach Clark, the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson and Orville Susong, former Health First COO Larry Garrison and Amateur Athletic Union Vice President Rusty Buchanan.

“The list of inductees for 2020 induction include athletes and coaches everybody knows – and some that may have been forgotten with the passing of time,” said Tom Palermo.

FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, or to make a reservation, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-615-8111.

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SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2020

• PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Jamel Dean, Football; Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Wrestling; Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Football; Mark Lake, Skateboarding; Juwaan Taylor, Football

• COLLEGE CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Derek Hamm, Football; Paulette King, Basketball; Dylan Lewis, Soccer; Melanie Murphy, Softball

• PREP CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Lexy Denaburg, Volleyball; Apryl Bigham Nickson, Swimming; Andi Sellers, Soccer

• AMATEUR/RECREATION CATEGORY INDUCTEE: Peter Blount, Track & Field; Karina Villegas, Sled Hockey; Caylor Williams, Wrestling

• COACHING CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Sean Ballard, Wrestling; Doug Butler, Cross County and Track; Aubin Goporo, Basketball; Gerald Hodgin, Football; Bill Sinclair, Softball; Don Smith, Basketball

• SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INDUCTEE: Loren McClanahan

• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT INDUCTEE: Clint Hurdle

• SPORTS OFFICIAL INDUCTEES: Ted Ruta

• SPORTS JOURNALISM INDUCTEES: Steve Vaughn

• SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD INDUCTEE: Congressman Bill Posey

• CHALLENGER AWARDS INDUCTEES: Brevard Special Olympics

• TEAM OF THE YEAR: 2019 Satellite High Cross Country

• LEGACY RECOGNITION: Orville Susong and Steve Wilson

• SPECIAL TRIBUTE: TBA

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

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