The Saint Vincent Athletic Department has announced that Dr. Terrance Smith has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach.

A graduate of Saint Vincent and one of the top players ever to wear the green and gold, Smith takes over the helm after five seasons as an assistant coach.

Praising Smith’s work as an assistant on the Bearcats staff, President Br. Norman Hipps, O.S.B., noted, “With Terrance Smith as head men’s basketball coach, we look forward to continue the winning ways of Bearcat basketball.”

During his time on the coaching staff, the Bearcats won three PAC regular season titles and two PAC Tournament championships. 

Smith, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, grew up in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and played high school basketball in Westerville, Ohio.  He was a two-time All-American for the Bearcats and still ranks as the school’s second leading scorer of all time.  From 1997-2001, he tallied 1,819 points for SVC, helping to lead the team to two NAIA National Tournament appearances.  Following the 1999-2000 season, he was named a Third Team NAIA All-American for his efforts, and earned Honorable Mention All-America honors the following year.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity,” said Smith.  “This is my alma mater; this is where I played. I’m overwhelmed with the support that I’ve received and I’m very appreciative of the opportunity.”

Smith’s accomplishments in life extend far beyond the basketball court.  After leaving Saint Vincent, Smith served as a member of the United States Army.  A Chief Warrant Officer 2, Smith served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a 12-year military career. 

During the course of his career, he earned many medals and ribbons, including a Meritorious Service Medal along with multiple Army Commendation and Army Achievement Medals and Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals with Combat Stars.

After earning his BA in Management from Saint Vincent, Smith furthered his education with an MBA in Project Management from Grantham University and his DBA in Project Management from Walden University. 

Smith serves as an assistant professor in the McKenna School of Business at Saint Vincent College, teaching primarily in the Master of Science in Management and Operational Excellence program. He is also the Director of the Kennametal Center for Operational Excellence (KCOE) program on campus.

“Working at Saint Vincent and with our team for the past five years naturally helps with the familiarity with the players,” said Smith. “The relationships we’ve already built will be important in this process.  The expectations remain the same as always, to win the conference and get to the NCAA Tournament.”

Smith begins his duties as head coach immediately.  

https://athletics.stvincent.edu/news/2019/4/5/terrance-smith-named-head-mens-basketball-coach.aspx