Coach Smith joined the University of the Incarnate Word men’s basketball team in July 2019.
In 2020-21, Smith helped guide the Cardinals to new heights on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.
The team qualified for the Southland Conference tournament for the first time in school history, earning the 7-seed. UIW increased its overall winning percentage and conference winning percentage for the second straight year. The Cardinals also won half of their conference road games, best since 2015-16. En route, UIW men's hoops finished as the NCAA Division I 30th-best 3-point field goal percentage (37.4%), and the top overall 3-point shooting team among the conference.
Coach Smith continued to help develop student-athletes’ performances as well, highlighted by tying a program record 30.5% 3-point field goal defense and Keaston Willis earning All-Conference second team, All-Academic second team and NABC All-District first team accolades.
In 2020-21, UIW men's hoops team continued to deliver eye-popping academic results, turning in a 3.37 Fall 2020 team GPA, among the nation’s finest. The team qualified a conference-best six players for Academic All-Conference consideration. The Cardinals continue to set the national standard for academic performance in Division I men's basketball.
Despite COVID-19 limitations, the program finished the year with over 300 hours of community service, besting the team goal of 275 hours. UIW men’s basketball volunteered at the Headwaters nature preserve sanctuary at Incarnate Word, at the YMCA (virtually), at multiple UIW athletic events, and more.
In the 2019-20 season, Smith helped the Cardinals earn six conference wins, a five-win improvement from the one conference win in 2018-19. The six wins doubled the number of conference wins from the previous two seasons combined. Additionally, UIW tied the number for most true road wins since the 2015-16 season. The Cardinals won more games overall than the previous season for the first time since joining Division I.
Smith helped guide Willis through a solid freshman season, which led to a Southland Conference Freshman of the Year accolade. This marked a first in program history for the Cardinals. Fellow freshman Drew Lutz, who led the team in steals and assists while ranking second on the team in scoring, tied the school record for assists by a freshman in the DI era.
In the classroom, Smith has helped UIW continue to set the standard. The Cardinals achieved the first perfect (1,000) APR in UIW men's basketball history (for 2018-19), and the 2019-20 Cardinals turned in a record-setting 3.34 fall semester team GPA, likely a top GPA in the nation for DI men's basketball.
In the community, UIW is close to hitting its full-year goal of 275 hours of community service, having given back at places like the San Antonio Children's Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and the Village at Incarnate Word. During the school closings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, student-athletes also read to elementary students virtually.
Smith comes to UIW from Miami University, where he spent three seasons as the director of basketball operations for men’s basketball program. In his position, he was responsible for the general functions of the team, such as team travel, recruit scheduling, camps and as a liaison to student-athletes.
Before joining the RedHawks, Smith spent three seasons teaching and coaching high school boys’ basketball. He was the head coach of Clinton Prairie High School from 2013-15 and spent the 2016-17 season coaching Anderson High School in Anderson, Indiana. He taught U.S. History at both schools.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner for Purdue from 2008-12. He saw increased playing time each season, and, as a senior, he appeared in 35 games, making 32 starts. He made 89 three-point field goals, which ranked third on the Boilermakers’ single-season chart. After completing his eligibility, Smith spent the 2012-13 season as a student-assistant coach under Painter and Owens, helping put together game plans and scouting reports.
