Jimmy Smith has been named the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Millsaps College it was announced today by Millsaps’ Director of Athletics, Donnie Brooks. Smith comes to the Majors’ program with head coaching experience at both Schreiner University and Texas Lutheran University.
“I am very excited to be the Head Men’s Basketball coach at Millsaps College,” remarked Smith. “Millsaps offers such a unique college experience because of its location in the heart of Jackson. At Millsaps, you receive a top-level education but also have unlimited opportunities offered by the capital city. Athletically, I feel we have a really good group of guys returning and I will start recruiting immediately to add to the team. We have a very clear goal for next season and that is to win the conference and advance to the NCAA Tournament. My family and I are anxious to move to town and we look forward to building meaningful relationships with colleagues and alumni.”
Smith brings a proven track record of success at the Division III level to Millsaps. In 2012 he was named the head coach at Schreiner University, turning around a program that had never produced a winning record to one that finished the 2013-14 season 15-12 overall and 10-4 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) and reached the SCAC semifinals.
After two seasons at Schreiner, Smith took over a squad at Texas Lutheran University that finished last in the SCAC in 2013-14. He led the program from worst to first in his first season, with the team posting an 18-10 record and winning the SCAC title and advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament. In 2015-16 Smith led the Bulldogs to a 21-7 mark and another SCAC title and NCAA appearance. That run earned Smith the National Association of Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) Division III South Region Co-Coach of the Year honors. Both regular season championships were the first conference titles at TLU since 1965, with the NCAA Tournament appearances the first in program history.
“Inside a sizeable candidate pool, we were excited to find a resume like Jimmy’s,” said Brooks. “He is a program builder and proven winner at the Division III level that had a strong interest in returning to Division III and the small liberal arts college experience. Jimmy is a smart and confident leader who expects us to compete at a high level next year. We are excited welcome his family into the Millsaps College community.”
Smith spent last season as an assistant coach at Division I Sam Houston State University where he helped the Bearkats reach the semifinals of the Southland Conference tournament and finish with a record of 21-13. He also spent two years at Sam Houston State (2004-06) as a graduate assistant, with the Bearkats posting a 40-21 mark in those two seasons.
A four-year letterman in basketball at Mary Hardin-Baylor University, Smith was honored as the school’s Male Athlete of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and as an American Southwest Conference honorable mention all-conference selection. A three-time academic all-league selection, he was UMHB’s first CoSIDA Academic All-Region honoree as a senior. Smith returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach where he helped lead the Crusaders to a 70-18 three-year record and three NCAA Division III national tournament appearances.
