BEAUMONT, Texas – The recent decisions to cancel the remainder of the 2020 spring athletics schedule has left a void for sports fans across the country. LamarCardinals.com thought it would be a great time to take a look back at some of the great moments, athletes and coaches that have helped Lamar University stand out in the competition arena. Over the course of the coming days and weeks, LamarCardinals.com will be posting stories – in no particular order – reliving some of these great moments.
   
Natalie Smith (née Sarver) played for Lamar from 1999-2002, and was named to the All-Southland Conference team each of her four seasons as a Cardinal. She was named the 2002 Southland Player of the Year and took home the 2002 Babe Zaharias Award. Her contributions in the postseason were also notable, earning her All-Tournament honors in 2000 and 2002.
 
Smith ranks among the best to ever wear an LU uniform in several statistical categories, including second and 10th, respectively, in single-season kills, first and fifth, respectively, in single-season attacks, and third and 10th, respectively, in single-season digs. She holds the Big Red record for career kills with 1,906 and career attacks with 5,053, and she also holds the career record for digs with 1,613. Sarver also holds the Cardinal record for kills in a game with 34, a number she achieved twice.
 
Due to her many accomplishments both on and off the court, Lamar Athletics was proud to make Natalie Smith's jersey the first volleyball number to be retired in program history.

Joining Smith was over two dozen other Cardinal volleyball alumni, reaching back all the way to the 1971 season. Smith's jersey retirement took place with Lamar's President, Dr. Kenneth R. Evans, and Director of Athletics Marco Born in a pre-game ceremony, and the alumni recognition took place between Sets 2 and 3 of a match on Oct. 6, 2018. Smith was then inducted into the Lamar University Athletics Hall of Honor on Oct. 5, 2019, almost a year later.
 
Please continue to check back with LamarCardinals.com as we continue to update more Great Moments in Cardinals History.
 
#WeAreLU