|
| Jimmy Smith was a player and
assistant coach at Mary Hardin-Baylor before getting his first head
coaching job two years ago at Schreiner. Schreiner athletics photo |
Texas Lutheran announced Monday that Jimmy Smith, previously the head coach at Schreiner, has been named the ninth head coach of the TLU men's basketball program.
He replaces Tommy Jones, who retired this past offseason after spending seven years as head coach of the Bulldogs, compiling a 54-120 mark (.310).
"Jimmy Smith is one of the best young basketball coaches in
Texas, and we are delighted he will lead the TLU men's basketball
program," Texas Lutheran president Stuart Dorsey said. "He had
great success at Schreiner, and I know he will be a winner here as
well. TLU's athletics programs are on the rise, and Coach
Smith will play an important role in the program's future
success."
Smith comes to Seguin after spending the last two years at the
helm of the Schreiner program, where he helped lead a quick
turnaround for the Mountaineers, amassing a 36-37 record in those
two years.
Before Smith came to Schreiner, the Mountaineers' record in their
Division III era was 92-253 (.270 win pct.). In just his second
season, Smith guided Schreiner to its first winning season since
joining the NCAA Division III, finishing 15-12 overall and 10-4 in
the SCAC. Smith's squad finished second in the SCAC standings and
reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.
"I'm excited," Smith said. "I've known about TLU for a long time
– both as a player playing against them and then coaching
against them in the league. I've always had a lot of respect for
the university. I think there's a lot of untapped potential, so I'm
just trying to get in here, figure out exactly how things work and
get things going in the direction I have in my mind, as soon as
possible.
"I think everyone's goal is to try and win the conference. I have
a lot of familiarity with these guys from coaching against them, so
I think that's the goal next year. Let's figure out what we've got,
figure out who we can add to the group to help us improve and start
working towards winning the SCAC championship next year."
Last season, Smith's Mountaineers set school records (NCAA-era)
for wins (15), winning percentage (.556), conference winning
percentage (.714) and points per game allowed (68.9). He also
coached the 2013-14 SCAC Co-Player of the Year and SCAC Defensive
Player of the Year AJ Myres.
"We're really excited to have Jimmy Smith as the next head coach
of the TLU's men's basketball program," Texas Lutheran athletic
director Bill Miller said. "We believe he is the right man at
the right time to elevate the program. He is an outstanding fit for
both this campus and the community."
Before coming to Schreiner, Smith spent three years as an
assistant coach at his alma mater Mary Hardin-Baylor. As both a
player and coach at UMHB, Smith was part of a winning culture.
During his three years as an assistant coach, the Cru racked up a
70-18 record and qualified for three NCAA Tournaments.
He also enjoyed an outstanding playing career for UMHB, earning
the school's Male Athlete of the Year award and All-ASC West
Division recognition. He was also the first Cru basketball player
to receive Academic All-District First Team honors.
Smith began his coaching career at Sam Houston State . He joined
the Bearkats as an assistant coach in 2004 and spent two years with
the basketball program, helping them to a 40-21 record during that
span.
Smith is a husband and a father. Smith and his wife, Lori, are the
parents of two young children.