California Golden Bears Athletics
The Impact Awards celebrate a coach or executive who has inspired leadership and positive change in the Bay Area
Charmin Smith Wins BAHC Impact Award
8/31/2026 12:56 PM | Women's Basketball
Smith To Receive Sports Leadership Award
California women's basketball head coach Charmin Smith has been named the recipient of the 2026 Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) Sports Leadership Award, the organization announced Monday. The award celebrates a coach or executive who has inspired leadership and positive change in the Bay Area and is part of the second annual BAHC Impact Awards honoring five exceptional leaders and organizations who are advancing meaningful change through sports, business and community impact across the region. She will be honored at the BAHC Speaker Series and Impact Awards ceremony event taking place on September 9.
"I'm grateful to the BAHC for this amazing honor and humbled to be recognized amongst the other outstanding individuals receiving the award," Smith said. "I believe we are obligated to use our platform to impact our communities when and where we can. Hopefully my efforts and those of the other recipients inspire others to do the same."
The winners of the other Impact Awards include:
Additionally, after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Smith also began spearheading a campus-wide Cal Athletics initiative called Race For Change – a local 5K walk/run that raises funds for the Cal Athletics Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice Office each year. The funds raised have been used to send student-athletes to the Black Student-Athlete Summit every year and •increase Black Student-Athlete engagement among the Cal community and college athletics. To date, the event which brings together the Cal and local community, has raised over $30,000.
On the court, Smith has recruited and coached numerous All-Americans and WNBA draft picks, coached the Golden Bears to their first 25-win season since 2012-13 and led them to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2018-19. Under her guidance, Cal women's basketball set program records for both home wins (16) and 3-pointers (297) in a single season (2024-25). In February 2026 she was selected as an assistant coach for the USA Basketball U18 team and helped the team to a gold medal at the FIBA AmeriCup in Mexico this past June.
The BAHC Sports Leadership Award adds to Smith's list of accolades she has received during her time as head coach. Her reputation in the women's basketball landscape earned her a spot on the Top 100 Most Influential Figures in Women's College Basketball list (Silver Waves Media) in 2025, 2024 and 2020. In October 2024, Charmin received the ACC UNITE Award, an award created to honor individuals who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
Smith joins Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who won the BAHC Sports Leadership Award last year.
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"I'm grateful to the BAHC for this amazing honor and humbled to be recognized amongst the other outstanding individuals receiving the award," Smith said. "I believe we are obligated to use our platform to impact our communities when and where we can. Hopefully my efforts and those of the other recipients inspire others to do the same."
The winners of the other Impact Awards include:
- Stephanie Martin – President, San Francisco Signal (Sports Business Champion)
- Zac Brown – Executive Director, Pride House (Originators Award)
- Natalie Nakase – Head Coach, Golden State Valkyries (Women's Confidence Award)
- Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (Community Impact Award)
Additionally, after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Smith also began spearheading a campus-wide Cal Athletics initiative called Race For Change – a local 5K walk/run that raises funds for the Cal Athletics Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Justice Office each year. The funds raised have been used to send student-athletes to the Black Student-Athlete Summit every year and •increase Black Student-Athlete engagement among the Cal community and college athletics. To date, the event which brings together the Cal and local community, has raised over $30,000.
On the court, Smith has recruited and coached numerous All-Americans and WNBA draft picks, coached the Golden Bears to their first 25-win season since 2012-13 and led them to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2018-19. Under her guidance, Cal women's basketball set program records for both home wins (16) and 3-pointers (297) in a single season (2024-25). In February 2026 she was selected as an assistant coach for the USA Basketball U18 team and helped the team to a gold medal at the FIBA AmeriCup in Mexico this past June.
The BAHC Sports Leadership Award adds to Smith's list of accolades she has received during her time as head coach. Her reputation in the women's basketball landscape earned her a spot on the Top 100 Most Influential Figures in Women's College Basketball list (Silver Waves Media) in 2025, 2024 and 2020. In October 2024, Charmin received the ACC UNITE Award, an award created to honor individuals who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.
Smith joins Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who won the BAHC Sports Leadership Award last year.
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal women's basketball, follow the Bears on X (@CalWBBall), Instagram (@CalWBBball) and Facebook (/CalWBBall/).
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