Mary Beth Lycett Is Kirby Smart’s Wife and a Former Bulldogs Basketball Player

Mary Beth Lycett has been married to Kirby Smart for over a decade. While her husband is a celebrated football coach, Lycett was a basketball star in college. Though they met when she had retired from playing the sport, Kirby Smart’s wife is listed among the best players her college has ever had.

Lycett and Smart are passionate about sports, and their children have inherited their athletic genes. Their eldest son plays tennis, while their youngest child is a football fanatic. Even though Lycett retired from playing basketball, she still engages in sports. She played tennis and also once took part in the Chicago marathon in 2014.

While the University of Georgia recognizes Lycett for her impressive performance in basketball, she is now following a different career path. Lycett currently manages the family’s charity, the Kirby Smart Family Foundation, which supports children in need and families going through hardships.

Kirby Smart and his wife Mary Beth Lycett at SoFi Stadium on January 09, 2023, in Inglewood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Lycett Was One of the Best in the Georgia Women’s Basketball Team

Mary Beth Lycett and her husband share one thing in common: their love for sports. Her passion for sports began at Morrow High School, where she started playing basketball. Her love for Lady Bulldogs made her join the team after being named Miss Georgia Basketball in 1999.

According to 11 Alive news, a Georgia TV station, the couple’s youngest son Andrew has already shown interest in sports.

She was a notable player on the Lady Bulldogs in the early 2000s and made a massive impact on the school basketball team. Kirby Smart’s wife went to Athens when the University of Georgia’s backcourt featured Women NBA players Kiesha Brown, Kelly Miller, Deanna “Tweety” Nolan, and Coco Miller.

During her final two seasons in Athens, Lycett emerged as one of the Lady Bulldogs’ most valuable players. She started 41 of 51 games, and her contributions increased rampantly.

According to the Bulldog’s records, Lycett remains among Georgia’s best 3-point shooters. Also, the school records indicate that between 2001 and 2002, Lycett drained 789% of her long-distance shots (30 out of 38), and between 2002 and 2003, she made 3-point shots at a 902% clip (37-41).

Aside from basketball, Mary Beth Lyceett, Kirby Smart’s wife, has also engaged in other sports. She is a passionate tennis player and ran the Chicago Marathon in 2014.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart with his wife Mary Beth on October 16th, 2021, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA. | Source: Getty Images

Smart and Lycett Met in 2005 and Married a Year Later

Smart and Lycett did not attend the University of Georgia at the same time; he is five years older than her. The pair met after graduation. At the time, Lycett was working at the athletics association business office. So Smart had to call her to help him schedule an interview for the Bulldogs’ running back coaching job in 2005.

What started as a working relationship developed into a deeper connection, and soon after, the pair began dating. A year later, the couple exchanged vows in 2006 in a beautiful ceremony attended by family and friends. Their ceremony was held at St. James United Methodist Church.

Kirby Smart with his wife, Mary Beth Lycett, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Getty Images

Kirby Smart and Mary Beth Lycett Have Two Sons and a Daughter

Lycett and Smart have been married for 16 years and share three children. They welcomed their eldest children, twins Julia and Weston, in 2008, and their youngest child Andrew was born in 2012. Based on reports, the family resides in Athens, Georgia, in a remodeled 1920s vintage cottage.

According to a Georgia TV station, the couple’s youngest son Andrew has already shown interest in sports. He has been a big part of the Bulldogs team during the 2022-2023 season. Also, in an interview, Lycett said that her oldest son played tennis.

While sports coaching comes with many challenges, having a supportive partner can go a long way, and Lycett has been by her husband’s side despite the demanding job. Lincoln Riley’s Wife and Christina Spirou Day have also supported their husband’s football coaching career.