Don Smith

Class of 2007

Born in Woodbury, New Jersey, Don Smith moved to Huntsville at age two and grew up immersed in sports through the Boys Club. A versatile athlete, he played football, basketball, baseball, and track at Lee High School. Under coach John Childress, Smith excelled on the offensive line, earning All-City and All-State honors as a senior in 1978.

Smith accepted a scholarship to the University of North Alabama, where he became a four-year letterman from 1979 to 1982. A three-year starter at center, he earned NCAA Division II All-American honors as a senior, including first-team Kodak All-American and second-team Associated Press All-American recognition. Smith was also All-Gulf South Conference in 1982 and named to the GSC Team of the Decade for the 1980s, UNA’s “First Forty Years” All-Time Football Team, and the program’s 50th Anniversary Team.

During his career, UNA compiled a 31-12 record, winning the school’s first Gulf South Conference championship in 1980 and advancing to the NCAA playoffs for the first time.

Inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, Smith credits his family for instilling commitment, perseverance, and discipline — values that shaped both his athletic and personal life. A deacon at Highland Baptist Church in Florence, Smith and his wife, Cynthia, continue to reside in Florence.

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