SOUTH BEND – The South Bend St. Joseph’s girls basketball program has turned to a familiar face to guide its future fortunes.

The Indians have hired former St. Joe star Sydney Smallbone as their new coach.

Smallbone, a 2007 St. Joe graduate, replaces Ric Mauch. Mauch resigned in late February after the Indians lost 60-40 to eventual state champion Heritage Christian in a Class 3-A semistate game. Mauch, whose daughter Hannah was a senior for the Indians this past season, was 97-41 in his six seasons.

Smallbone has been the coach for the past three seasons at Lakeshore High School in Michigan. She posted a 53-11 mark there with three conference championships in her first tenure as a coach.

Smallbone was a fiesty guard during her prep playing career for coach Mike Megyese at St. Joe. She helped the Indians win a Class 3-A state championship her sophomore season in 2005. Smallbone ranks first in program history in scoring (1,711 points), 3-pointers (246) and free throw percentage (86 percent). She was an Indiana All-Star in 2007 after being runner-up for Miss Basketball honors.

Smallbone played for legendary coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee. She was part of the Lady Vols national championship team in 2008 and was a team captain during her senior season in 2010-11.

St. Joe went 25-2 overall and won the Northern Indiana Conference with a 12-0 mark this past season.