Barb Smith, a 25-year veteran of the NCAA Division I collegiate coaching ranks who most recently served six seasons (2004-10) as associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota, is in her first season as associate head coach at Saint Louis University.
"It is my pleasure to welcome Barb Smith to the Billiken family," head coach Lisa Stone said. "Barb is one of the most-highly regarded recruiters in the Midwest and will make an immediate impact on the Saint Louis University women's basketball program.
"Barb is a proven winner and an experienced coach," Stone said. "I am blessed to have her join me in building this program and taking the Billikens to new heights."
"I feel extremely blessed to join the SLU family," Smith said. "The people are so welcoming and supportive, the athletic administration is very enthusiastic, and the community has been awesome in reaching out and connecting with our staff.
"The team is excited and working hard, the facilities are extraordinary, the Atlantic 10 Conference is extremely competitive, and the University campus is absolutely gorgeous," Smith said. "All the pieces are in place to build a championship program. It's truly a great time to be a Billiken.
"I am thrilled to be working with Lisa Stone," Smith said. "She is one of the most-respected and highly regarded coaches in the country. Her energy, passion and work ethic are amazing, and she is a coach who truly cares about her players."
Smith helped lead Minnesota to a 115-75 record and five postseason appearances, including four NCAA Tournaments, during her six-year tenure. The 2004-05 Golden Gophers were 26-8 and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, while the 2007-08 and 2008-09 squads each won 20 games. Minnesota finished among the top five, including a pair of third-place ties, in the Big Ten Conference regular-season standings in five of Smith's six seasons. In addition, three of the Gophers' recruiting classes were ranked among the nation's top 20.
Prior to her stint in Minneapolis, Smith spent two seasons (2002-04) as lead assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of California. The Golden Bears produced a top-six recruiting class under her guidance, the highest-ranked class in program history.
During Smith's five seasons (1997-2002) as head coach at San Diego State University, the Aztecs landed the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history and featured guard Claire Swinbank, the team's first WNBA prospect. Smith also built SDSU into one of the Mountain West Conference's top defensive teams, with the 2000-01 Aztecs finishing second in the league in defense.
Smith enjoyed a successful nine-year run (1988-97) as lead assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Colorado under Hall of Fame head coach Ceal Barry. The Buffaloes qualified for the NCAA Tournament in eight of those nine campaigns, reaching the national quarterfinals in 1993 and 1995 and advancing to the Sweet 16 in 1994.
Smith helped lead CU to five Big 8 Conference regular-season championships, four Big 8 tournament crowns, a Big 12 Conference tournament title and a preseason WNIT championship. The Buffaloes tallied a 217-65 record and produced three top-10 recruiting classes during her tenure.
For the past year, Smith has conducted extensive research in an effort to author a book on leadership and mentorship. The book, entitled Six Keys to a Championship Practice, is due to be released in August.
Smith is a highly sought-after speaker who has addressed numerous convention gatherings and organizations including the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, the NCAA Leadership Series National Convention, the National Organization for Women and the Alliance of Women's Coaches. She has served on the WBCA Board of Directors and the WBCA Recruiting Committee, developed and implemented a leadership/basketball camp for girls in Uganda, and scouted for the WNBA's Indiana Fever and Washington Mystics.
A native of Perrysburg, Ohio, Smith walked on to the basketball team at Ohio State University and earned a scholarship and the starting point-guard position. She helped lead the Buckeyes, coached in her first three seasons by Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer, to four Big Ten titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. Smith garnered numerous accolades during her playing career, including the 1986 Buckeye Senior Award for Outstanding Leadership and four selections to the Academic All-Big Ten team.
Smith earned a bachelor of science degree in health education (1986) at Ohio State and a master of business administration degree in organizational behavior (1988) at Iona College. She was a graduate assistant/part-time assistant coach for the Iona women's basketball team during her two years as an MBA candidate.
