Darci Smerchek

Kansas State

Sep 18 (Thu)

7 p.m.

Position:
Defender
Height:
5-4
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Lakewood, Colo.
High School:
Green Mountain

2005 Big 12 All-Tournament Team

SENIOR (2005): Smercheck started all 24 games on defense, leading the Buffs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and the Big 12 Tournament final. She was on the field for 2,168 minutes and attempted 10 shots. She also helped the Buffs post a 1.04 GAA and record 11 shutouts during the season. She was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team after playing every minute in the conference tournament.

JUNIOR (2004): Smerchek’s streak of 21 straight games as a starter (dating back to the ’03 season) came to an end when she came off the bench against Northern Colorado for 34 minutes. She had 11 complete games. Her five shots on the season were second among the backs.

SOPHOMORE (2003): After coming off the bench for Alyssa Burgess at the right back position in the first seven games of the season, Smerchek started the last 11, mostly at left back. Since assuming that starting role against Iowa State on Sept. 28, she was on the field all but 36 minutes.

FRESHMAN (2002): One of the quickest players on the team, Smerchek started the first five matches of the season and again against then third-ranked A&M in the Big 12 Tournament before a midseason reorganization of the lineup that found her coming off the bench in 10 of the last 14 games.

HIGH SCHOOL: As a fresahman and sophomore Smerchek attended Dakota Ridge High School where the Eagles were among the top-16 teams in 4A play her freshman year and a top-four team as a sophomore. As a freshman she was a Second-Team All-Jeffco League performer. As a junior and senior, her Green Mountain teams were among the top-four in 5A play and took the 2001 Arapahoe Tournament prior to Smerchek being a second-team all-state player. Her Colorado Girls Soccer Academy club teams finished second in regional play four years in a row and won nationals in their U-18 year.

IN THE CLASSROOM: A speech, language and hearing science major at CU, Smerchek was a Scholar Athlete at Dakota Ridge and was an honor roll student at Green Mountain.

PERSONAL: Born Sept. 24, 1983 in Englewood, Colo., Darci Michelle Smerchek is the only daughter of Dana Smerchek and Donna Smerchek of Lakewood, Colo. Her older brother Damon is a teacher at Dakota Ridge and her younger brother, Tyler, is 10 years-old. She is an avid biker and plays guitar.