Nina Smith will not return next season to the women’s basketball team.

Iowa State announced Wednesday that Smith, a redshirt junior who sat out the 2001-2002 season for the women’s basketball team, has discontinued her playing career to focus on academics at Iowa State.

“Nina has decided not to continue her basketball career. This is entirely her decision and we wish her the very best,” ISU head coach Bill Fennelly said in a press release.

“I am excited that she has decided to stay at Iowa State and finish her education,” he added.

He said earlier in the season that Smith would not play the remainder of the season because of academic reasons.

In an interview done after Smith originally left the team, Jeff Cesler, an ISU student-athlete counselor, said “[Smith] wasn’t any worse off than any of our other student-athletes. Her grades weren’t something to be concerned about.”

Rumors about a possible drug problem or pregnancy circled Smith for the remainder of the season.

But Smith told USA Today last week, “I simply lost my passion for playing basketball. My heart’s no longer in it. If I were to play next season, it wouldn’t be fair to my teammates or my school.

“It’s sad that someone can’t decide to become just a normal college student and pursue [her] education without people thinking there has to be something else going on” Smith told the newspaper.

At press time, she was unavailable for comment.

In 1999, Smith, playing for Waterloo West High School, was named the national high school player of the year by USA Today and was Player of the Year runner up.

She started nine games at Wisconsin her freshman year, averaging 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes, despite missing 17 of 18 conference games because of a broken foot.

During Smith’s sophomore season at Wisconsin, she averaged 11.9 points and 6.3 rebounds.

The 6-4 center transferred to Iowa State this year and sat out the season as a redshirt transfer.

– Additional reporting by Emily Arthur