University of Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey has added 13 new players to the team, with the first official addition being announced on Monday.
Reyne Smith, who committed to Louisville on March 30, has one season of eligibility left after three years at Charleston under Kelsey. The 6-foot-2 guard, known for his sharpshooting, hails from Ulverstone, Australia.
“Reyne is one of the best shooters at his age, battle-tested, and brings crucial stability to our program,” Kelsey said in a release. “He’s a proven performer with over 102 Division I games and represents Australia at the highest levels. He embodies our culture with his toughness and consistency, which were key to our success at Charleston. He exemplifies what it means to be a Louisville basketball player.”
Smith is one of four players already on campus for the Cardinals, with most of the team expected later in the week.
During his time at Charleston, Smith started 89 games, consistently scoring in double figures with a career average of 11.9 points per game. This season, he averaged 12.8 points and scored 13 points in an NCAA game against Alabama.
Two days after Kelsey was hired at Louisville, Smith announced he would join him.
“Being the first commitment for him meant a lot, reflecting the trust he has in me,” Smith told Cardinal Authority. “Our journey over the past three years together made it a feel-good moment to follow him to the highest level of basketball in the ACC.”
Smith led the College of Charleston in scoring last season with 12.8 points per game, hitting 112 of 284 3-pointers (39.4 percent) and earning second-team All-Coastal Athletic Association honors. He ranked eighth in the country for made 3-pointers and 15th for 3-point attempts. He was named MVP of the CAA Tournament after scoring 23 points in the championship game against Stony Brook. He twice broke his own school record for most 3s in a game, including making 10 against Campbell on Feb. 29. He is the first CAA player with multiple career games of nine or more 3-pointers.
Smith ranks third among active non-seniors for career-made 3s with 294 over three seasons. He has scored 1,212 career points, shooting 37% from 3-point range and 89.5% from the free-throw line.
Before Charleston, Smith attended Australia’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport. He played for the Australian National Team at the 2019 FIBA Oceania Championships, the 2020 U-20 Australian National Championships, and the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup.
From Tasmania, he averaged 20.7 points per game while shooting 49.9% from deep in the 2020 Australian National Championships.
