University of Georgia Athletics
Gaby Smiley Joins Georgia Volleyball
May 05, 2011 | Volleyball
May 5, 2011
ATHENS, Ga. - Gaby Smiley has joined the University of Georgia volleyball program according to an announcement made by head coach Lizzy Stemke on Thursday.
Smiley, a 5-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist from Alpharetta, Ga., will join the Bulldogs from Northview High School where she was a two-year team captain that was named to the Under Armour Girls' High School All-America volleyball athlete Watch List for the 2010-11 season by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. As a senior, Smiley helped Northview to a Class AAAAA State Championship runner-up finish as she was named a PrepVolleyball.com All-American, a Georgia Senior All-Star, All-State First Team and was named her team's Most Valuable Player.
"Gaby is an all around tremendous athlete from Georgia," Stemke said. "She has a contagious competitive fire with everything she does, and we are thrilled to be adding her to our 2011 roster. We want to make sure that the best student athletes from Georgia become Bulldogs, and with the addition of Gaby to our roster we will do just that."
In her junior season, Smiley helped Northview to an Area Championship as she earned All-Area honors, was named the team's MVP and scholastic athlete. During her first two years of high school, Smiley helped the Titans to a pair of State Championships. As a sophomore, she was named to PrepVolleyball.com's First 79 on their "Soph 79" list which identifies the best varsity playing sophomores in the country. That year she was also named Northview's Best Offensive Player and was an All-Area team selection.
At the club volleyball ranks, Smiley played five seasons for TCA Atlanta and A5 Volleyball, and her A5 team was the USAV Junior Olympics 16 National Silver Medalists in 2009.
