The Colorado women`s basketball team announced Thursday that senior guard Bianca Smith has been formally released from the national letter of intent she signed with Tulsa in 2004, meaning she`ll be able to play the entire upcoming season instead of sitting out one semester.

Smith, who started in all 29 games last season and is fifth on the Buffs` career charts for 3-pointers made, signed to play with Tulsa out of high school.

But when then-Tulsa coach Kathy McConnell-Miller was hired to take over the program at CU, Smith transferred to follow the coach. Smith never enrolled at Tulsa, but the school opted not to release her from her letter of intent at the time, meaning she had to sit out two years instead of the normal one for a transfer.

Smith got one semester back when she successfully petitioned the NLI Appeals Committee in 2005. But she was still faced with sitting out what likely would have been all of the games during the Buffs` current semester this season.

"I would like to thank Tulsa for releasing me and I appreciate the efforts of both schools as this decision allows me to have this final full year with my teammates," said Smith, who averaged 9.2 points per game last season. "A lot of communication and chemistry is built during preseason practice and games, and it is a relief knowing I can be with my teammates and to go through those times with them."