Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders sign Kiki Smith
April 17, 2026 | Women's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Lady Raiders have signed Kiki Smith out of Purdue University announced by head coach Krista Gerlich on Saturday.
"We have loved Kiki Smith over her career because of her scorer's mentality," Gerlich said. "She has a quick release and efficient three-point shot but is also very capable of getting downhill and finishing at the rim or finding teammates with her passing ability. She has proven herself as a double figure scorer in the SEC and Big 10, and we feel our system will elevate her performance even more. Kiki has an incredible work ethic, disciplined mindset and easy-to-follow leadership style. I love her joy for the game and infectious personality, too. Lady Raider Nation will instantly be big Kiki Smith fans."
In her junior season at Purdue last year, Smith played in 30 games while starting in 21. She was second on the team in points per game with 10.7, while also ranking second on the team in three-pointers with 49. Shooting 39.9 percent from the field (112-for-281), Smith also added 65 assists, 36 steals and 68 rebounds. Smith totaled 16 double-figure scoring games and two 20-plus point games last season. Against Penn State on Feb. 4, she posted a new career-best in points with 24 on 53.8 percent shooting from the field (7-for-13) while adding a career-high of seven rebounds.
As a sophomore in 2024-25 with the Arkansas Razorbacks, Smith finished second on the team with 10.2 points per game. Starting in 22 games and appearing in 27 on the season, she shot 40.6 percent from behind the arc to rank second in the SEC and 28th nationally in the category, going 58-for-143 from three-point range. Smith also recorded a 42.2 percent field goal percentage (97-for-230), while adding 55 assists, 49 rebounds and 16 steals on the season. While with the Razorbacks, Smith totaled 13 double-figure scoring games, three of those going for 20-plus points, with a then career-best of 23 points against Alabama on Jan. 19, 2025. In that game, she went 53.3 percent from the field (8-for-15) and added a career-high tying four three pointers.
During her freshman season at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas (2023-24), Smith was named the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-American. In addition to being named a NJCAA First Team selection, the Topeka, Kan., native also earned Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Player of the Year and KJCCC Freshman of the Year accolades. Starting in all 37 games with Hutchinson CC, Smith recorded 17.6 points per game on 55.9 percent shooting clip (237-for-424). She went 44.4 percent from behind the arc (82-for-103) and added 3.2 rebounds per game, 2.7 steals per game and 2.2 assists per game.
Smith's 652 points on the season led the team and set a Hutchinson CC freshman scoring record. She finished fifth in the nation in scoring, while setting a program record in threes and ranking second in program history in points. With the Blue Dragons, Smith aided the team to a perfect, 37-0 record and the national championship, earning MVP honors at the JUCO National Tournament.
