M. HELEN SMILEY '60

Inducted: 1995

One of only a dozen female NCAA Division I Athletic Directors of combined men's and women's programs, Helen Smiley is recognized as an outstanding administrator and leader in her profession. Following graduation, Smiley taught and coached at Northwestern High School in Kokomo and at Western High School in Russiaville (IN). She then served as the director of women's recreational and intercollegiate sports programs and an instructor at the University of Iowa, where she received her Ph.D. degree. She then began a 15-year stint at the University of North Dakota where she was the associate athletic director and an assistant professor in health, physical education and recreation. In 1985, Smiley became the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women and an adjunct professor of HPER at Western Illinois University. She then was named Director of Athletics for Operations in 1988 and Director of Athletics in 1994. She has served on several national committees, including the board of directors of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).