Ari Smith enters her second season as an assistant coach on the Terrier volleyball staff. She was previously a graduate assistant volleyball coach for two years at North Alabama.
Smith works primarily as a defensive specialist coach. Her other duties include being the recruiting coordinator, travel coordinator and film specialist.
In her first season at Wofford, Smith helped head coach Ron Sweet lead the program back to the Southern Conference Tournament for the first time in seven years. The Terriers went 13-18 overall and 7-9 in SoCon play, marking their most conference victories since 2005.
At North Alabama, Smith worked primarily with UNA’s hitters, also assisting with scouting and recruiting.
Before coaching the Lions, Smith lettered at UNA for two seasons in 2009 and 2010. In two years, she totaled 488 kills and combined for 88 digs and 105 total blocks, starting 33 matches on the right side. During her senior season, she recorded a career-high 17 kills to lead UNA to a 3-2 win over No. 22 Flagler on Sept. 11. She finished the year as a first team All-Gulf South Conference selection, as well as an academic All-GSC pick. Smith also totaled 23 kills in two NCAA Tournament matches in the 2009 and 2010 campaigns.
Prior to playing for UNA, Smith played for Coach Sweet at Kishwaukee College in 2008 and helped lead the Kougars to their third consecutive NJCAA Division II National Championship. Smith earned All-Arrowhead Conference honors on the campaign. In 2007, she spent a year on the University of Wisconsin-Plateville volleyball roster before transferring to Kishwaukee.
Smith graduated from UNA in 2010 with a degree in communications. Originally from Shannon, Ill., she resides in Spartanburg.
