SYLVA– Veteran Smoky Mountain High School head women’s basketball coach Cindi Simmons achieved a milestone last week, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times.

Behind a career-high 31 points from Sarah Henson, Smoky Mountain gave Simmons her 500th career win by beating East Henderson, 67-47, in Sylva.

Simmons has been at Smoky Mountain or its past incarnation as Sylva-Webster for 29 years and her career record stands at 500-255.

The Mustangs are off to a 7-4 start this season and Smoky Mountain won an NCHSAA state women’s basketball championship in 2007. 

Former Smoky Mountain star Cetera DeGraffenreid set a Western North Carolina record for career scoring (3,081 points) during that run five years ago. She was named a McDonald’s All-American.

“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of this program and (500 wins) speaks a lot for so many people,” Simmons said.

“I’ve been blessed with so many great players and assistant coaches. And it’s meant so much to have a community that embraces women’s basketball the way that this one does. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to coach here.”

Simmons started out at Sylva-Webster in 1983, following the conclusion of her college basketball career at Western Carolina University. Sylva-Webster consolidated with Cullowhee High to form Smoky Mountain in 1988.