8:27 a.m., Aug. 21, 2007--Tyresa Smith, the standout University of Delaware women's basketball player who graduated in May, has signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association and will be with the team as it begins its playoff run.

Smith played seven minutes in Sunday's regular season finale, with one point, two rebounds and one steal as Detroit fell 72-66 to the host Indiana Fever. Detroit finished the season 24-10 and will begin playoff action on Friday, Aug. 24, against the New York Liberty.

Smith, who was named UD's outstanding senior female scholar-athlete in 2007, was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA after leading the Fightin' Blue Hens to a record of 26-5 and a berth in the NCAA Division I national championship tournament. She was waived by the Mercury prior to the start of the season but later signed by the Shock, which is coached by former NBA star Bill Laimbeer, and is the first player in UD history to play in the WNBA.

Smith was a first team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection and led the conference in scoring, with 19.8 point per game, and also was the conference defensive player of the year each of the last two seasons. She scored 632 points in 2006-07, a single season record at UD, and she finished second all-time in career scoring, with 1,635 points.

Smith was named to the Kodak Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Region 2 Team, becoming the first player in UD history to earn that honor. A four-year standout, she helped lead the Hens to a four-year record of 92-30 and three appearances in the Women's National Invitational Tournament to go along with the NCAA selection.