Archive: Sports

DANIELLE SMITH (1993) Inducted – 2017
Nominated by and plaque presented by Richard Smith

Danielle was a 5 year letter winner for the Lansing Girls Swimming and Diving Team and she helped them record 5 I A C Championships, as well as 5 Class "C" Section IV titles.

She still holds 4 IAC records, 4 Lansing school records and one Section IV record.

During her varsity career at Lansing, she set 103 swimming records.

Smith set 39 pool records, 22 school records, 19 league records, 7 IAC championship meet records, 9 Class "C" Sectional IV meet records, 4 Section IV records and one Elmira Free Academy Invitational meet record.

Michelle Lehr Muzzy, former outstanding LadyCats swimmer said, "I swam with Danielle for three years. Danielle was not only a powerhouse in the water, but she was a highly effective, inspirational and dedicated leader in and out of the water.

We, her peers, selected her twice as team captain, as a junior and again as a senior. We also voted her the Most Valuable Swimmer her senior year".

Lehr Muzzy continued, "Danielle's athleticism allowed her to excel at all strokes, but she is most likely remembered for her effortless, graceful breaststroke and amazing speed in freestyle".


Michele concluded "Danielle's infectious laughter could be heard anywhere in the pool and during meets. She was always your biggest cheerleader, giving all her teammates encouragement to finish hard and strong".

Lansing's assistant swim coach Carolyn Connors said, "She was a great swimmer. I especially liked her backstroke turn, which then was ahead of its time! Now, of course, you can completely turn over on your stomach before your turns in the backstroke. Just think what Danielle's times would have been".

Danielle participated in the New York State Swimming and Diving Championship Meet her last four years.

She was in a variety of events throughout those four years of NY State Championship swimming, including the 200 yard Medley Relay, 50 yard Freestyle, 100 yard Breaststroke, 200 yard Free Relay, 400 yard Free Relay, 100 yard Backstroke and 200 yard Individual Medley.

Lansing Swimming and Diving Coach Diane Hicks-Hughes said, "Understand this, we do not divide the state meet by class.

Everyone in Class A, B, C and D, plus PSAL and CHAA all swim against each other. This is not a small school and large school separate meet".

Richard Smith, who is an original Charter Member of the Lansing Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted in 1998, made the following statement about his sister:

"Over Danielle's athletic career, she did not compete in any other varsity sports, because for Danielle, swimming was a year round sport".

"Not only did she compete for the Ladycat swimmers from August through November, she also swam for the Cortland YMCA swim team from November through July. She did this from seventh grade until she graduated".

Smith said, "To simply say that Danielle was committed to swimming would severely understate the dedication, commitment and desire Danielle had to becoming the best swimmer she could possibly be".

Following Danielle's graduation, she swam at Syracuse University, where she captained the team her senior year. She was a member of the 200 yard Medley Relay team that set the S. U. event record.

Danielle was a finalist at the Big East Swimming and Diving Championships all four years of her collegiate career.

Danielle is married to Vincent Lindsley and they have three children: Natalie, Noah and Sonia.

Danielle works for the New Haven Public Schools as a high school special education teacher.

They live in Middletown, CT.

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