Rockford University head men’s basketball coach Aaron Jacobs announced the addition of Mark Smith as an assistant coach for the Regents men’s basketball program ahead of the 2026-27 season.
“Coach Mark Smith is one of the most driven and respected young coaches in the game,” said Jacobs. “His work ethic, loyalty, and passion for developing student-athletes make him a tremendous addition to our program. Mark has a great eye for talent, an outstanding ability to build genuine relationships, and a relentless commitment to player development. His presence will elevate every aspect of our program, and I’m excited to have him join us at Rockford University.”
At North Park, Smith coached and recruited six all-conference players while assisting with scouting reports, game planning, and player development through the use of FastDraw and FastScout. He also coordinated position-specific development and conditioning programs for more than 20 student-athletes and worked extensively with both the varsity and JV teams.
Prior to North Park, Smith spent the 2021-22 season as a graduate assistant and JV head coach at Trinity International University. During his time with the Trojans, he helped develop two all-conference players while assisting with strength and conditioning sessions, post player development plans, scheduling, travel coordination, and facility management. Smith also helped the JV team produce the best single-season record in school history.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Smith served as Director of Regional Basketball Operations and Development for Illinois Pro Academy. In that role, he oversaw facility operations, coordinated events, managed logistics, assisted with marketing and advertising efforts, and developed tryout, along with practice and player development plans. Smith also coached 17U teams competing on the Adidas 3SSB and 3 Stripe Gold circuits. Smith additionally served as head coach for the Bulldogs 13U AAU in 2025, focusing on player development, team operations, and skill instruction.
Smith earned a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership/Sport Management from Waldorf University in 2025, graduating summa cum laude with a 3.91 GPA. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology/Pre-Medical from Trinity International in 2022, where he was a member of the university’s 2017 Elite Eight team that set the school record with 30 wins. Smith was also a three-time all-conference academic student-athlete.
