Jason Smith is entering his 10th year as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Bryan College in the 2020-2021 campaign. During his first nine years at the helm, Smith has amassed an overall record of 201-82 and an 143-49 mark in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play, making him the winningest coach in program history. Smith has led the Lions to four AAC regular season championships, three AAC tournament titles, five NAIA National Tournament appearances, and one Sweet 16 berth. Smith has been named the AAC Coach of the Year for back to back seasons in 2019 and 2020.
While at Bryan, he has coached four NAIA All-Americans, 23 All-AAC selections, 12 AAC All-Freshman Team members, seven Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, five AAC All-Defensive Team members, two AAC Freshman of the Year winners, and two AAC Defensive Player of the Year winners.
Last season, the Lions completed their second straight undefeated AAC season and three-peated as AAC regular season champions. An overall record of 29-2 qualified the team for the NAIA Division II National Championship for the fourth straight season, and they defeated Siena Heights, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history. Smith was named the AAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season and led the team to as high as number 13 in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
In the 2018-19 season the Lions held an undefeated 26-0 regular-season record, which was the best mark ever recorded in AAC women's basketball history, and finished the season with a final record of 31-2. Bryan became back-to-back regular season conference champions, three-peated as conference tournament champions, and made their third straight appearance at the NAIA Div. II Women's Basketball National Championship falling in the opening round to Indiana Wesleyan. Coach Smith was awarded top honors with the AAC Coach of the Year title, and the Lions climbed to 12th in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
During the 2017-18 season, Smith led the Lions to 25-10 overall record and 19-5 in AAC play. The team would win the regular season championship and repeat as AAC tournament champions. The Lions rose to 23rd in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, and made their second straight NAIA DII National Championship appearance before falling to Indiana Tech in a first round matchup.
Coach Smith’s team went 18-15 during the 2016-17 season. After earning a six seed in the ACC Tournament, the Lions surprised everyone with a remarkable run to win the championship by winning four games in four days. The Lions earned an invitation to the NAIA DII National Championship in Iowa for the second time in three years, but fell in the opening round to Concordia. Coach Smith was named with honor as the 2017-2018 AAC Coach of Character. An award that recognized his focus on building quality character above everything else with his women’s basketball players.
During the 2015-16 season, Smith led the Lions to a 26-5 record. Since taking over a last place team, Coach Smith steadily raised the standard for his team and they were co-champions of the AAC regular season. The Lions would get the second seed for the AAC Tournament, defeating Columbia in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual tournament champion Tennessee Wesleyan in the semifinals. Bryan rose as high as 17 in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll during the season.
Coach Smith’s 2014-15 team achieved a 21-10 record, a second place finish in the AAC, and earned their first NAIA DII National Championship appearance since 2008. The Lions 15-5 record in the AAC would get them the second seed for the Tournament, but they fell to Milligan in the quarterfinals.
The 2013-14 season, he led Bryan to a 20-11 overall record and finished third in the AAC with a 14-6 mark, falling to eventual tournament champion Tennessee Wesleyan in the semifinals of the AAC Tournament. Once again, this year’s team was at the top of most defensive categories in the AAC and nationally in the NAIA.
During the 2012-13 season, the Lady Lions finished the year with a 17-12 record and a fourth place finish in conference. They would fall to eventual tournament champion Reinhardt in the quarterfinals. The campaign was memorable by supplanting three Bryan College seasonal records. The Lady Lions finished with all-time season best records in defensive field percentage; defensive scoring; and team blocks per game.
Coach Smith’s team was consistently at the top of most defensive statistics conference-wide and nationally when he took over the program in his inaugural season of 2011-2012 leading the Lady Lions to a 14-16 record.
The prior year he was the assistant coach of the Bryan College men’s basketball team under Coach Don Rekoske.
Before coming to Bryan, Coach Smith was the assistant coach for the men’s program at Grossmont Community College in El Cajon, Calif., for one season.
Coach Smith had five years of head coaching experience previous to coaching at Grossmont. He was the men’s basketball head coach at San Diego Christian College, an NAIA Division I member, from 2007-2009. He took advantage of the opportunity to coach within one of the most respected and competitive conferences in the NAIA, the Golden State Athletic Conference, and in those two years at SDCC he rebuilt the program from scratch as he had zero players committed when he took over.
Prior to San Diego, Coach Smith was the head men’s coach at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Mo., for three years. In his third season there he was named the NCCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year. He coached an NCCAA All-American and the school’s third and all-time leading career scorers.
Coach Smith has had a successful track record of rebuilding programs and quickly making them competitive conference contenders. He began down his path of coaching while attending the University of Kansas from 1987-1991. Coach Smith served as the varsity manager and game film technician for Coach Roy Williams, current head men’s coach at the University of North Carolina. During his time at KU he learned the particulars of running one of the most premier college programs in the nation.
Coach Smith received his Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Ministry with an emphasis in physical education & coaching from Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Mo., in 2004. He and his wife, Tina, currently reside in Dayton, Tenn., with their five children Deserie, Shayna, Catherine Joy, Jonas, Joselito and their Golden Retriever named Sargent. He enjoys watching Kansas Basketball, serving in his church, and camping with his family.
