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Sunny Smallwood was named Adia Barnes’ associate head coach on April 20, 2016.
In her second year at Arizona, Smallwood helped secure the highest ranked recruiting class in Arizona history. Highlighted by Arizona’s first McDonalds All-American Cate Reese as well as fellow five-star recruits Semaj Smith and Valeria Trucco, four-star Shalyse Smith and three-star Bryce Nixon, Arizona’s 2018 class was ranked No. 5 by ProspectsNation.com.
Smallwood, who focused on the defensive side of the ball, helped Sam Thomas become the outstanding defensive player she is. Thomas was the only player in the Pac-12 in the top 10 in rebounds, blocks and steals and also led all freshmen in rebounding, blocks and steals. JaLea Bennett also set career-highs in steals and blocks during her senior season.
During her first year at Arizona, Smallwood helped the Wildcats reach the 14-victory mark for the first time since the 2011-12 season. Additionally, Arizona won five conference games, which is the most the Wildcats have won in the Pac-12 era.
As the “defensive coordinator” of the team, the Wildcats surely ramped up the pressure this year as they blocked 115 shots and had 235 steals. The last time an Arizona team had at least 115 blocks was in the 2003-04 season when the Wildcats blocked 120 shots and the last time an Arizona team had 235 steals was back in the 2012-13 season when the Wildcats had 276.
In the 2016-17 season, teams shot 40.7% against Arizona, which is the best field goal percentage defense Arizona has posted since the 2011-12 season when teams shot 39.1% against Arizona in 32 games.
While at Boise State, Smallwood was the recruiting and defensive coordinator for the Broncos. Smallwood has proven herself to be a top-notch on-court coach and has a good track record of developing recruits into quality Division I players who have gone on to earn plenty of accolades.
Last year, the Broncos finished the season with an overall record of 19-11 and a conference record of 12-6. They would eventually fall to UNLV in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. She helped Brooke Pahukoa and Shalen Shaw be selected to the All-Mountain Team while Miquelle Askew earned honorable mention accolades. Marta Hermida was also named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year and was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team.
During her first year with Boise State, she helped lead the team to a Mountain West Conference Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance with a record of 22-11. She helped Deanna Weaver be named to the All-Mountain West Team and she was also WBCA All-Region and an honorable mention All-American. Off the court, nine players combined to receive 13 academic honors.
Prior to her stop at Boise State, she spent nine seasons at the University of Nebraska, where she spent the last six as the associate head coach. During her time in Lincoln, she helped lead the Cornhuskers to eight postseason appearances, which included six trips to the NCAA Tournament. In six of her nine seasons, Nebraska won at least 20 games, which included one 32-2 season and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009-10.
Smallwood helped lead the charge in recruiting two-time Nancy Lieberman Award finalist Lindsey Moore, who was also a Player of the Year candidate in 2012-13. Moore earned AP All-America honors in 2013 and was a two-time All-Big Tem selection.
In the 2012-13 season, the Huskers advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 25-9 record, which included a 12-4 conference record. The 25 wins was the third-most in school history. During that season, Smallwood’s defensive game plan sparked a 10-game winning streak in Big Ten play from Jan 20 to Feb. 28. In the month of February, the Huskers led the conference in scoring defense (52.9 ppg), three-point field goal percentage defense (27.5%) and defensive rebounding (27.9 rpg).
In the 2011-12 season, Smallwood helped coach the Huskers to a 24-9 record with an NCAA Tournament bid. The Huskers started three underclassmen in every game of the season. Nebraska earned a runner-up finish in the Big Ten Tournament as well.
In her last five seasons at Nebraska, the Huskers averaged 24 wins per year, which is the most successful stretch in Nebraska history. Prior to Smallwood’s coaching tenure at Nebraska, no team had ever won 24 games in one season.
She spent one season at the University of California prior to her stint at Nebraska. Smallwood was named the associate head coach for the 2004-05 season and helped Cal bring in one of the nation’s top recruiting classes in her only year there.
Before her lone year at California, Smallwood spent 11 years as an assistant coach at the University of Washington. She spent all 11 years as the recruiting coordinator and the last eight as the lead assistant coach. During her time in Seattle, she helped lead the Huskies to six NCAA Tournament appearances, which included a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1995 and an Elite Eight appearance in 2001.
In her 11 seasons with Washington, she coached at least one All-Pac-10 player in all but one season. Some of her top recruits include McDonald’s All-American Jaime Redd, Amber Hall (Washington’s all-time leading rebounder), along with All-Pac-10 selections Megan Franza, LeAnn Sheets, Loree Payne, Andrea Lalum and Giuliana Mendiola, who was named the 2003 Pac-10 Player of the Year. She also recruited Laure Savasta, who was a member of the 2000 French Olympic Team.
Smallwood began her Division I coaching career in 1990 as an assistant coach at Washington State. In her first season in Pullman, the Cougars earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Smallwood is a graduate of Boise State with a degree in secondary education. She was a two-time first-team academic All-Mountain West selection for the broncos during her career, which lasted from 1979-1983.
She spent seven years as the head coach at Boise High School and led the team to two state tournament appearances in 1986 and 1989. She was also the head volleyball coach for one season, was an assistant volleyball coach for three years and also spent seven seasons as an assistant track and field coach.
Smallwood attended Carbon High School in Prince, Utah, where she was a multi-sport athlete and earned 16 varsity letters.
