Born and raised in Thailand until she was 15, Van Smith-Davis then moved to Tombstone, Arizona where she graduated from Tombstone High School in 1980. Her senior year, Smith-Davis was named Female Athlete of the Year and was the only Tombstone athlete to have been selected to the Arizona All-Star Volleyball Team. She went on to Eastern Arizona College for two years where she participated in basketball and volleyball before making the move to Western New Mexico.
While at Western New Mexico, Smith-Davis was starting setter of the Mustang volleyball team in 1982 and 1983. She earned RMAC All-Academic honors her junior and senior year. She also received RMAC All-Conference, NAIA All-District 7, and Academic All-American status her final year of play. Smith-Davis graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Health Science in 1984. That same year, Smith-Davis was named Physical Education Student of the Year. Later, in 1986, she received her Master of Arts and Teaching with an emphasis in physical education.
Smith-Davis was very active on campus. She was a member of the Cardinal Key Club, student government, and Great Race Committee. She was also the W-Club president and the driver of the winning Great Race team three years in a row.
Immediately after she received her bachelor’s degree, Smith-Davis made a successful transition from student-athlete to coach. She started as an assistant coach under Vicky McCarty and then took over the reins of the program in 1986. Over the next four seasons, she built the program into a regionally competitive team, going 103-42 for a .710 winning percentage. Smith-Davis stepped down as head coach in 1990 to take over as the full-time student activities director on campus, but she left behind a strong team that finished 25-9 under Dr. Larry Hurshman that year and second at the NAIA District 7 tournament.
In 1991, Smith-Davis was asked to return as head coach for a second stint. She finished 20-12 that season and another second place finish at the NAIA District 7 tournament. Smith-Davis had to step down as head coach and student activities director after the 1991 season due to her husband’s position with the Social Security Office in Waco, Texas.
Smith-Davis coached three All-Americans (Chris Bahl, Gina Villamor, Melinda Arcela), nine All-District players, 12 All-Conference players, four Academic All-District players, and one Academic All-American, a tribute to her ability to bring student-athletes to Western New Mexico University. Overall, she finished with .690 winning percentage.
mith-Davis did not step away completely from the athletic and fitness world after WNMU. She soon found herself as the Fitness Director at the Waco Family YMCA from 1992 to 1997. She then started her own fitness company, Fitness by Van, Co., in 1997, which she still operates today. Smith-Davis also has held the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation in Fitness position at Baylor University since 1999.
Smith-Davis stayed with volleyball until 2007. She was the founder, director, and coach of the Waco Juniors Volleyball Club. In addition, she has hosted many community fitness conferences and seminars, which promotes a healthier lifestyle, nutritionally, mentally, and physically, in the Waco community.
Smith-Davis volunteers her time throughout the Waco community. She is active in the American Heart Walk committee, Relay for Life committee, Walk Across Texas committee, and the Arthritis Foundation.
Smith-Davis has been married to her high school sweetheart, Raymond, for 25 years. Together they are proud parents of their daughter Bianca, who is a junior at Texas State University.
