Dennis Smith resigns Lady Peregrines basketball coaching post

Three seasons removed from a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Division I championship, Dennis Smith has resigned as Purdue University Calumet women's head basketball coach after seven seasons.

The decision of Smith and longtime assistant Rick Sullivan to step down comes following a 2006-07 season that produced a 6-24 overall record and 1-11 mark in the CCAC-the Lady Peregrines' last in Division I of the conference. Purdue Calumet men's and women's teams move next season to the CCAC's Division II.

"I had a great 10 years at Purdue Calumet," said Smith, who also served three seasons as an assistant before becoming head coach in 2000. "Every team I've coached is a great memory, and I've had the privilege of working with some tremendous student athletes. I don't leave with any regrets except that I wish we had won more games."

Smith compiled an 89-133 overall record at the Hammond campus. Included was a 25-9 mark in 2003-04, when Purdue Calumet claimed the CCAC D-I regular season championship with a 10-2 record. Also particularly satisfying about that squad, Smith said, is that by the end of this year each player will have graduated.

"We appreciate the devotion and passion Dennis demonstrated in directing our women's basketball program," Purdue Calumet Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Melinda Dalgarn said. "His track record as a versatile, capable coach speaks for itself. While this past season was especially challenging, he remained committed and optimistic throughout. I wish him well in the future."

Smith's 30-plus year coaching resume also includes other intercollegiate positions, as well as stops at the community college and high school levels where he has coached football, baseball, and track and field, in addition to basketball. As head women's basketball coach at former CCAC member Rosary (Ill.) College in the mid-1990s, he led his team to a berth in the NAIA Division I national tournament.

"Dennis is a proven and professional coach in every sense," Purdue Calumet athletic consultant John Friend said. "He brought a rich, organized coaching background to Purdue Calumet and used it to make many contributions to Purdue Calumet women's basketball."

A search will commence immediately for a new coach.

News Release Date: March 8, 2007