ARLINGTON - UTA women's basketball junior and Wichita State transfer Shyia Smith has been ruled immediately eligible to play for the 2020-21 season by the NCAA.

The Idabel, Okla. native played two season at Wichita State before transferring to UT Arlington this summer. Smith appeared in 56 games for the Shockers, making 31 starts, during her time in Wichita. She averaged 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds and shot .414 from the field during her two seasons with the Shockers. As a sophomore, she started 25 of the 27 games she appeared in and averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 boards.

"This is great news for our Lady Mav family," said head coach Shereka Wright. "Shyia has been working extremely hard on the court for us. She gives us another legit scorer and rebounder in the front court. Her athleticism will be a valuable asset to us on both ends of the floor."

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SHYIA SMITH FILE
5-11 | Junior | Forward | Idabel, Okla. | Idabel HS | Transfer from Wichita State

CAREER HIGHS
Points: 17, vs. Creighton (Dec. 8, 2018)
FG: 7, vs. Creighton (Dec. 8, 2018)
FGA: 12, vs. Northwestern (Dec. 19, 2018)
3FG: 2, 3x, last at Temple (Feb. 5, 2020)
3FGA: 5, vs. Temple (Feb. 2, 2019)
FT: 9, vs. Grambling (Dec. 11, 2018)
FTA: 11, vs. Grambling (Dec. 11, 2018)
Rebounds: 17, vs. Houston Baptist (Nov. 25, 2019)
Assists: 3, 2x, last at UConn (Jan. 2, 2020)
Steals: 4, at Tulsa (Feb. 23, 2020)
Blocks: 3, vs. Eastern Michigan (Dec. 17, 2019)
Double-Doubles: 1, vs. Houston Baptist (Nov. 25, 2019)

AWARDS
American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll (Dec. 2, 2019)
American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week (Dec. 17, 2018)

AS A SOPHOMORE AT WICHITA STATE (2019-20) | Game-By-Game Stats (PDF)
Started 25 of the 27 games she suited up for ... Second on the team in rebounds and blocked shots ... Finished with six games in double figures and tied for the team-lead in games with five or more rebounds (16) ... Swiped a personal-best four steals to go with eight points and six rebounds at Tulsa (Feb. 23) ... Tallied 13 points and six rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting vs. Memphis (Feb. 12) ... Had 12 points in the Shockers' win vs. Temple (Jan. 19) ... Scored 10 points to go with three boards and three assists at No. 1 UConn (Jan. 2) ... Named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 2 ... Registered her first career double-double vs. Houston Baptist (Nov. 25), finishing with 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds ... One point shy of her career high at Louisiana Tech (Nov. 20) with 16 points, while also pulling down eight rebounds for the second straight game ... Grabbed a game-high eight rebounds in the win vs. Southern (Nov. 17).

AS A FRESHMAN AT WICHITA STATE (2018-19) | Game-By-Game Stats (PDF)
Played in 29 of Wichita State's 30 contests, making six starts ... Averaged 4.0 points and 2.9 rebounds ... Had two games in double-figures and seven games with five or more rebounds ... Team's top scorer twice and top rebounder three times ... Led the team in scoring for the second straight game with 15 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the free throw line vs. Grambling State (Dec. 11) ... Scored a game and career-high 17 points vs. Creighton on Dec. 8 ... Made her first career start in the season opener vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and logged a game-high tying eight rebounds to go with seven points.

HIGH SCHOOL
Averaged 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals as a junior under head coach Katedria Mosley … Earned Most Valuable Player honors as a junior and sophomore and Freshman of the Year in 2014-15 … Named to the Southeast All-Tournament First Team as a freshman and sophomore … Helped Idabel to the District Championship during her sophomore and junior seasons … Won the Lone Grove Tournament as a sophomore and Gunsling Tournament as a junior.
 
PERSONAL
Born January 29 in Idabel, Okla. … Daughter of Lachalan and Paula Williams.