Wittenberg President Mark Erickson speaks to the assembled crowd in Legends Lobby of the HPER Center on Feb. 2, the day the university dedicated its arena in Pam Evans Smith's memory.

Springfield, Ohio — Members of the Wittenberg community will come together again to honor the memory of former Women's Basketball Head Coach and Associate Director of Athletics Pam Evans Smith, class of 1982, with the first Pam Evans Smith 5K Memorial Walk/Run on Saturday, April 5.

All proceeds from the event will go toward the Pam Evans Smith '82 Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a deserving female senior who has demonstrated leadership and academic abilities. The scholarship was created in July 2007, about one month after the women's basketball coach with the most wins and highest winning percentage in North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) history passed away after a spirited 17-year battle with cancer.

Pam's husband Roger will fire the starting gun at 10 a.m. on Alumni Way, in front of the Benham-Pence Student Center. The cost of participation is $25 for the general public and $10 for Wittenberg students. Participants who sign up prior to Wednesday, March 26, will receive a T-shirt. Registration will continue until the day of the event, but there is no guarantee of a T-shirt after March 26.

To register for the Pam Evans Smith Memorial Walk/Run, contact Ellie Stonecash, class of 2008 from Springboro, Ohio, by e-mail, or download a registration form.

Smith, a 1999 Wittenberg University Athletics Hall of Honor inductee, established herself as one of the premier women's basketball coaches in NCAA Division III in her 21-year coaching career. The seven-time NCAC Coach of The Year compiled a 401-170 record after taking the reins of a struggling program prior to the 1986-87 season, along the way leading the Tigers to eight NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, twelve 20-win seasons and 11 NCAC regular season championships.

Smith also enjoyed a record-breaking career as a player in the Wittenberg Red & White, earning second-team Academic All-America honors in 1982 after earning team Most Valuable Player three straight years. The Tigers' all-time leading scorer until 1989, and still the record-holder for season scoring average, Smith added the role of associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator in 1992. She also served as a tenured faculty member in Wittenberg's department of health, fitness and sport.

Additional information, and instructions about how to make contributions to the scholarship, can be found on a special memorial Web site, along with an opportunity for visitors to post reflections and messages.