Dr. Barbara Smith

Dr. Barbara Smith is the founder of the women's golf program at Longwood and served as head coach from 1966 to 1992. In nearly three decades under her leadership, Longwood became a national powerhouse on the college golf landscape with three National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Division I National Championships (1987, 1988 and 1990) and five national runner-up finishes (1981, 1984, 1989, 1991 and 1992), A Longwood Hall of Fame inductee as part of the school's inaugural class in 2005, Dr. Smith was also inducted into the NGCA Hall of Fame and the Limestone College Athletic Hall of Fame. At Longwood, she received numerous recognitions for her dedication to the sport and the coaching profession, including two LPGA Coach of the Year honors, the LPGA's Ellen Griffin Rolex Award and the honor of LPGA Master Professional., Beyond her titles and accolades, Dr. Smith used her platform as a coach and teacher to impart patience, grit and character onto her athletes and the students she taught. Many received those lessons on this site, the former Longwood Golf Course., With the sport of golf as her medium, Dr. Smith remains a prevalent and impactful figure in the story of Longwood University, one who demonstrated unflinching dedication to the institution's mission of developing young people into citizen-leaders who positively impact the world around them.