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Ogden • Weber State's Jeff Smith has been named the Women's Golf Coach of the Year in the Big Sky Conference, two months after his death due to leukemia.

The posthumous award was announced Friday following a unanimous vote of the conference's coaches, the Big Sky announced.

Smith, who died at age 61, previously won the award in 1998 and '99. His 2001 Wildcat team won the conference championship.

The award "reflects the sentiment of all who knew 'Smitty' and is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to helping young people," said Weber State athletic director Jerry Bovee.

Scott Erling, the WSU men's golf coach, and assistant coach Sara Federico directed the Wildcat women in the recent conference tournament. WSU finished fourth, shooting a program-record score of 290 in the final round.

"No one cared more about his program and his players than Jeff Smith did," Erling said.

Smith, an Ogden native and WSU graduate, was known for his support of Wildcat athletes and coaches through the athletic department. The Wildcat men's and women's basketball teams honored his by wearing "Smitty" patches on their jerseys in the final month of the season.

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