Sonny Smith

College coach infobox


Name = Sonny Smith
| Caption = Sonny Smith
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1936|11|15
Birthplace = Roan Mountain, Tennessee
DateOfDeath =
Sport = Basketball
College =
Title = Head coach
OverallRecord =
Awards = EC Coach of the Year ('78) SEC Coach of the Year ('84, '89) District VI Coach of Year, Division I ('84) CAA Coach of the Year ('96)
Championships = SEC Championship ('85) CAA Championship ('96)
CFbDWID =
Player = Player
Years = 1954–1958
Team = Milligan College
Position =
Coach = Head Coach
CoachYears = 1976–1978 1978–1989 1989–1996
CoachTeams = East Tennessee State Auburn Virginia Commonwealth

Sonny Smith (born November 15, 1936) is a retired men's college basketball head coach. Originally from Roan Mountain, Tennessee, Smith served as a head coach for twenty-two seasons. He is credited with turning around losing programs at East Tennessee State University, Auburn University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. [sportstarsusa.com, [http://www.sportsstarsusa.com/basketball/smith_sonny.html Sonny Smith: Biography] , retrieved, April 4, 2007.]

Smith is best remembered for his coaching years at Auburn University, where he was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 1984 and 1989. In 1985, he coached the Auburn Tigers to their first SEC Tournament Championship in school history.ashof.org, [http://www.ashof.org/index.php?src=news&prid=76&category=Headlines&PHPSESSID=6e49f93e11e113ac8b827e8b989d2e01 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame] , retrieved, April 4, 2007.] During his years at Auburn, he coached NBA Hall of Fame player, Charles Barkley and was the only coach in school history to have three consecutive winning seasons, from 1984-86. On January 3, 2007, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

After retiring from coaching, Smith joined his friend and former University of Alabama coach Wimp Sanderson on a sports talk radio show "The Sonny and Wimp Show" on WJOX-AM in Birmingham, Alabama.

References