Reported this earlier as a rumor – it’s now official…
LIU Post Director of Athletics Bryan Collins announced on Monday that former Farmingdale State head coach Erik Smiles has been appointed the tenth head men’s basketball coach in the 56-year history of the Pioneers’ program.
“After receiving great interest and response to our open men’s basketball position, we were excited that an excellent candidate emerged in Coach Erik Smiles,” said Collins. “We were impressed by his success at Farmingdale State and the fine teams he produced. We are confident he is the right person to continue the storied tradition of our Pioneer men’s basketball program. Most importantly, we think Coach Smiles will continue our athletic department’s foundations of excellence in producing student athletes of great character. We believe he will be a valuable addition to both our LIU Post athletic family and the LIU community as a whole .”
“It’s an honor to be named the men’s basketball coach at LIU Post,” said Smiles. “The success of the Pioneer teams – from women’s lacrosse to men’s soccer to both basketball programs – is incredible. There is a tradition of success for the men’s basketball program over the past 30 years, starting with Coach Galeazzi and continuing with Coach Cluess and Coach Casey, and I’m excited to keep the tradition going. I’m honored to follow Coach Casey, and I’m left with a great group of players to work with. I’m very excited by this opportunity to work with Coach Collins in continuing the tradition of success for men’s basketball and the entire LIU Post athletic department.
Smiles spent the last 10 years on the staff at Farmingdale State College, serving as an assistant coach from 2002-04 before taking over as head coach in 2004. During nine seasons at the helm, Smiles amassed a career record of 182-72. He led the Rams to four Skyline Regular Season titles and three Skyline Tournament Championships while posting six 20+ win seasons. The Rams also made the NCAA tournament four times under Smiles’ tutelage, advancing all the way to the Elite Eight in 2009.
A highly decorated coach, Smiles was the Skyline Coach of the Year three times and also received accolades as the 2005 and 2006 Basketball Coaches Association of New York Coach of the Year, the 2006 D3.com Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, the 2008 All-Met Coach of the Year and the 2009 NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Smiles coached twelve all-conference players, three Skyline Players of the Year and two DIII All-Americans while at Farmingdale.
Smiles is familiar with the East Coast Conference landscape, having played collegiate basketball at the University of Bridgeport for four years and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in human services in 2001. He resides in North Babylon, N.Y.
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