NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Smith College junior outside hitter Mia Etheridge (Half Moon Bay, CA/Half Moon Bay)  has been named to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) First Team All-Conference, capping a dominant 2025 campaign for the Bears' six-rotation standout.

Etheridge led Smith in nearly every major attacking category this season, finishing with 239 kills over 21 matches, a team-high 595 attack attempts, and 283 total points while hitting an efficient .262 from the outside. She also ranked among the conference's top offensive threats, standing fifth in the NEWMAC in kills per set (3.16) as Smith secured another winning season and a spot in the league championship bracket. 

She erupted for a season-high 26 kills on .478 hitting in a five-set NEWMAC road win at Salve Regina on October 18, adding eight digs and a block as Smith pulled out a 3–2 victory. A month earlier, she powered the Bears past UMass Dartmouth with 20 kills and 13 digs in a five-set comeback win at home. In the conference opener at Coast Guard, Etheridge turned in one of the league's most complete two-way performances of the year, finishing with 16 kills, 15 digs and a .262 attack percentage as Smith earned a 3–1 road win.

The First Team All-Conference nod adds to an already impressive résumé for Etheridge. As a sophomore in 2024, she appeared in 34 matches, posting 322 kills and 237 digs, including an 18-kill performance in a key four-set win over Babson.

Earlier this fall, she was named NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Week after powering the Bears to a 2–1 weekend with 48 kills, 32 digs and six aces. 

Etheridge has also distinguished herself in the classroom and across the broader Division III landscape. An engineering major, she earned NEWMAC Academic All-Conference honors and was recognized on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team in 2024, highlighting her ability to excel at one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges while competing at a championship level on the court.

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram