Hall of Honor
Mark Smith was an unselfish basketball forward who was at his best in the big game. A four-year starter who helped the Buccaneers win 78 games while losing only 19, Beloit’s “Mr. Everything” earned NCAA Division III all-American honors and became its second all-time leading scorer with 1,381 points. He was a team player who at 6-foot-5 led the Bucs in both scoring and boarding his last two years; he never shot less than 50 percent from the field in any season, and he finished with 709 rebounds. During his career, Beloit captured two Midwest Conference championships and participated in three national regional tournaments. As a senior, Smith padded the Bucs to a 24-2 mark for an all-time school record .923 percentage and to a ranking as the nation’s top Division III club for five consecutive weeks. His outstanding efforts also won him all-Midwest District recognition from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, all-conference selection and team MVP honors. A assistant to his former coach, Bill Knapton, while completing an M.A.T. degree at Beloit, Smith now teaches mathematics and serves as head basketball coach at Ridgewood High School in Norridge, Illinois.
