"Family" is a word often used to describe teammates and fanbases in a world of elite athletics. But for Virginia forward Sa’Myah Smith, the strength is being put to the test as she navigates the most profound personal loss in her life with the passing of her mother.

Her former team, LSU, publicly shared its condolences on January 17th through an X post writing, “Sending our deepest condolences to our former tiger, Sa’Myah Smith, whose mom has passed. We keep her in our prayers 🕊️ 🙏🏽💜💛.”

Smith, who now plays for the Virginia Cavaliers, addressed the loss in a heartfelt way, posting a collage of her on-court moments alongside a family photo. Her caption simply read: “LLMyMomma.” Her message further read about her readiness to shoulder family responsibilities alongside her siblings.

Smith’s mother, Sherry Haynes, passed away on January 5, 2026, as per her obituary on Legacy.com.

Haynes herself was an athlete who competed in basketball, track, and softball. And the athletic lineage lives on in her daughter. “To watch Sa’Myah play in the national championship game as a freshman was amazing. Words can’t describe how proud I am of her”, her mother once said about her journey.

Now, a junior at Virginia, the 6’2” forward continues to shine. She is averaging 9.9 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.0% from the field. As the Cavaliers prepare for a clash with the Pittsburgh Panthers, both the LSU and Virginia fan bases united to comfort Smith during this difficult moment.

Sa'Myah Smith’s growth as a player

Smith is proving to be a core player for Virginia. She posted 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist in 27 minutes played against Duke in the previous matchup.

Though her ACC career has just started, she made impressive numbers with LSU. As a freshman in the Tigers’ 2022–23 national championship season, she played all 36 games, averaging 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks, earning SEC All-Freshman Team.

While her sophomore season was cut short by a torn ACL, she returned stronger. Smith averaged 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds, leading LSU with 51 blocks and two 20-point double-doubles.

Whether she's in purple or representing Charlottesville with Virginia, Smith will be taking forward her mother's legacy.

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu