Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame
Using a calm demeanor and even-keeled approach, Amy Dames Smith helped establish a tradition of nearly unmatchable success as coach of the Linfield women’s tennis program from 2004 until 2014.
The 2023 Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame inductee also provided key leadership within the Athletics Department as senior woman administrator and NCAA compliance officer. Her responsibilities included submitting annual data reports to the NCAA, and developing and implementing a comprehensive gender equity, diversity and inclusion plan.
As women’s tennis coach, she led the Wildcats during a seven-year reign of dominance that saw Linfield win a record 108 straight Northwest Conference contests and six consecutive league championships.
Following the 2014 tennis season, Amy stepped down as coach, ending her career with 159 wins against just 54 defeats. That record includes a 143-9 record versus conference opponents – a sparkling 94 percent winning rate within the conference that stands as one of the leading marks of success for all coaches in the history of Linfield Athletics.
Early in her career, the Linfield women’s tennis program had already established itself as an annual title contender within the Northwest Conference.
Asked if she felt pressure to sustain the women’s program at a championship level Amy says, “I think I would have approached things the same way no matter what – to have a championship mindset and always be striving to be better. Even when our conference win-streak was approaching 100, it very much a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ type of work ethic within the team.”
In addition to piloting Linfield to six NWC team championships, she guided the Wildcats to three NCAA Division III regional playoff appearances in 2007, 2008 and 2011.
Amy was recognized as the NWC Coach of the Year four times and groomed five players who went on to receive All-America acclaim. Her two most decorated players earned induction into the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame: Becca (Johnson) Taylor in 2017 and Kasey (Kuenzli) Williams in 2022.
Kasey remembers that at times, tennis can feel more like an individual sport than a team effort. “Amy helped foster a team atmosphere where everything from our pre-match team pep-talk, to coordinated calisthenic warmup series, to special intros, and enthusiastic shouts of team support between courts and points. All of this made tennis a team sport in every sense of the word, thanks to her leadership.”
The most gratifying part of her role as coach, Amy says, has been establishing lasting relationships with incredible young women. “It’s a special thing to be in a position to guide, empower and eventually inspire student-athletes to reach further than what they imagined.”
Amy put her own stamp on the program by “defining our identity as Wildcats and what that meant in those intense moments of competition – never giving up, always expecting a fight and not thinking things were going to be easy. I also stressed giving 100% to the sport and 100% to being a student. And we were consistently known for being a really gritty team that hustled after everything.”
No matter how seriously the team prepared, Kasey says that Amy always kept practices and matches light and fun. “She consistently orchestrated our warmup routines, and cool-down stretches, always brought pre- and post-match snacks. She loved to laugh with us and was a charismatic leader.”
After stepping away from coaching, Amy spent four years as associate director of athletics for compliance and academic support and senior woman administrator at Concordia University-Portland before returning to Linfield for a two-year stint as assistant director of athletics. When an opportunity arose to join the athletics staff at the University of Portland, her alma mater, she jumped at the chance to return home.
Today, Amy is in her fourth year as associate director of academic and student-athlete development at UP.
As a Pilot student-athlete, Amy lettered three times in tennis under longtime coach Susie Campbell. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from University of Portland in 1999 and most recently put the finishing touches on a master’s degree from University of Portland in 2022.
Amy and her husband, Kenton, live in Southwest Portland with their daughter, Riley.
