Varsity Club Hall of Fame
Shaleyse Smallwood (class of 2008) was an instant sensation on the Northeastern women’s basketball team from the first moment she stepped on the court. Smallwood premiered as Northeastern’s sixth woman on Nov. 19, 2004, during the Huskies’ season opener against Rhode Island, ringing in her NU career with 12 points, and a team high five steals, during 30 minutes of action.
Following her collegiate debut, she became a key contributor to Northeastern’s offense, recording 23 double-figure scoring games and eclipsing the 20-point plateau on five occasions during the 2004-05 campaign. By season’s end, Smallwood’s 13.1-point scoring average helped her garner America East Rookie of the Year honors, in addition to her selection to the conference’s All-Rookie Team.
Smallwood kept her on-court success in stow when the Huskies made the jump to the CAA at the start of her sophomore year. During the 2005-06 season, the Boston native averaged 11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
As a junior, Smallwood enjoyed the best offensive season of her Northeastern career. On Feb. 18, 2007, she joined the Huskies’ 1,000-point scoring club, dropping 21 points on the road against James Madison. Four days later, she posted a team best, 37 points, during Northeastern’s wild, five-overtime affair against Drexel. She finished her junior season ranked among the top 10 CAA players in both scoring (sixth) and assists (fourth), receiving All-CAA Third Team accolades.
Smallwood helped Northeastern to a five-win turnaround during conference play from her junior to senior season, closing the chapter on her student-athlete career with a selection to the All-CAA Second Team. She graduated with her name etched across the Huskies’ record book, including top-10 positions on Northeastern’s all-time charts for points (1,479), scoring average (13.3 points per game), field goals made (527), 3-pointers made (110), and assists (389), among others.
Today, Smallwood ranks fourth on both the Huskies’ all-time scoring list and assists list, while her 37-point effort against Drexel ranks in a tie for the fifth most points scored in program history.
