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Barb Smith, a former head coach at San Diego State, enters her second season as an assistant coach at California.
Smith's responsibilities at Cal include assisting with recruiting, designing game strategies and working with the development of the guards.
Smith came to Cal after posting a 49-86 record in five seasons at the helm at San Diego State. Under Smith's guidance, the Aztecs had some key moments on and off the court. Her 1998-99 team had the highest average team GPA among all of the Aztecs' athletic teams that year, and she led SDSU to some significant victories, including wins over Cal, Oregon State, Kansas State and Colorado State. Active in the community, Smith was honored as the 2002 San Diego Consensus Organizer of the Year.
Prior to being hired at San Diego State in 1997, Smith spent nine seasons as Colorado's top assistant and recruiting coordinator. During her time in Boulder, she helped build the Buffaloes into one of the nation's top programs, with the team averaging over 24 wins a season from 1988-97. Colorado became a familiar fixture in the NCAA Tournament during Smith's tenure, earning eight bids to the Big Dance and advancing as far as the Elite Eight in 1993 and '95. Colorado also was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 campaigns.
Smith developed a reputation as an outstanding recruiter while at Colorado. In her last four years at CU, three of the school's recruiting classes were ranked in the top 10 nationally, which included the third-best class in 1996.
The Perrysburg, Ohio, native is active on the national scene, as she has served many years on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Board of Directors.
While earning her master's degree in business administration, Smith began her coaching career in 1986 as a graduate assistant at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. Two years later, she began her stint at Colorado.
A 1986 graduate of Ohio State with a bachelor's degree in health education, Smith was a walk-on with the Buckeyes' 1982-83 team, but by the end of her second season, she had earned the starting nod at point guard and a scholarship for the remainder of her eligibility. The Academic All-Big Ten selection led Ohio State to four Big Ten titles and three NCAA appearances.
Smith, who currently resides in Montclair, has utilized her expertise as a coach and player to produce a ballhandling video called "Ballhandling Made Fun."
In Smith's 21 seasons as a player and coach, she has experienced 11 seasons with at least 20 wins.
