POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Marist Director of Athletics
Tim Murray has announced the hiring of
Gene Smith as the head women's soccer coach. After serving as an assistant coach for the Red Foxes in the 2016 season, Smith takes over in the lead role.
"We're very excited to have Gene as part of our Marist head coaching family," Murray said. "I was impressed with the amount of success he's achieved, and the quality of student-athlete he has been able to recruit and develop. Those are traits we emphasize, and I'm confident he will work hard toward our goal of winning a MAAC championship."
Smith joins the program with a plethora of coaching experience across NCAA Division II and Division III levels along with recruits who have garnered multiple All-Americans, All-Region, All-Conference, Players of the Year, Freshman Team selections, and Defensive Players of the Year.
Smith previously served as the head women's soccer coach at Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Smith was named Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) Coach of the Year after winning the 2015 regular season championship and earning a NCAA Midwest Regional Ranking.
Smith left Davis and Elkins with a 25-11-3 overall record and coached three student-athletes to All-Conference selections and two to All-Freshman selections. He also coached the Freshman and Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2014.
Prior to his time with Davis and Elkins, Smith spent four years as a head coach and an assistant coach at California University of Pennsylvania and previously served five seasons as the head women's soccer coach at Plymouth State, an NCAA Division III program in Plymouth, NH.
A native of Connecticut, Smith finished his playing career as a two-year starter at NCAA Division III Norwich (VT) after originally playing at Xavier. He has also competed and coached for several premier teams in his home state. Smith also enjoyed success in semi-professional and professional settings with various teams in the United Soccer League (USL) and abroad.
"I'm very excited for the opportunity that
Tim Murray has given me. I appreciate everything in terms of the hiring committee and them having the faith in me to move forward with this program," said Smith. "I'm incredibly excited to take over, build on our foundation and compete for a MAAC championship."
The Red Foxes finished the 2016 season at 10-9-1 overall and 5-4-1 in MAAC play. After defeating Rider, 1-0, in double overtime in the Red Foxes' quarterfinal game, Marist returned to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2012.
