Bio

Kate Nielsen Smith is one of the most successful Simpson women’s basketball players of all-time, excelling on the court and in the classroom throughout her career. Kate spent three highly successful years at Simpson, helping the women’s basketball team to regular season conference titles and NCAA Tournament berths all three years. 

In 2012-13, Kate put together one of the greatest seasons in team history, leading the Storm to a school-record tying 27 wins, a sixth straight Iowa Conference Championship and a trip to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. She earned numerous postseason accolades for her efforts, including IIAC MVP, D3hoops.com All-America First Team, D3hoops.com West Region Player of the Year, State Farm/WBCA NCAA Division III Player of the Year Finalist, and Jostens Trophy Finalist. 

The two-time all-conference performer is one of just seven women's basketball players to surpass 1,200 points and 600 rebounds at Simpson. Off the court, Kate was a two-time academic all-district honoree and became just the second student-athlete in program history to be named a First Team Academic All-American. 

Kate earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2013 before going on to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Des Moines University in 2016. She has served as a physical therapist for UnityPoint Health at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines since 2017. 

Kate and her husband, Vinni Smith, a fellow Simpson graduate, have two children, Kyson and Braylee. The family currently resides in Grimes, Iowa.