SIUE Names Smith Women's Basketball Head Coach
Samantha Quigley Smith has been named SIUE women's basketball head coach, Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced Tuesday.
Smith is the sixth head coach in program history and the third at the Division I level.
"Today is a great day for SIUE women's basketball," Hall said. "I am so pleased to announce Samantha as our new head coach. Throughout the search, she clearly stood out as the candidate whose vision for the future, relationship-building ability, competency in the x's and o's, recruiting prowess and general positive can-do spirit can take this program to a championship level."
Smith comes to Edwardsville after serving four years in the same position at Lewis University, a Division II institution in Romeoville, Illinois, where she amassed a record of 83-34 (.709 winning percentage). She was honored as the 2020-21 Great Lakes Valley Coach of the Year.
"I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be SIUE's next leader of the women's basketball program," Smith said. "The phenomenal people I encountered during the interview process truly told our family this was the place for us.
"I want to thank Chancellor Randy Pembrook and Director of Athletics Tim Hall for their support and commitment to women's basketball, and also for this amazing opportunity to lead these bright young women," Smith continued. "I would also like to thank Deputy Athletic Director Jason Coomer and the search committee that worked tirelessly throughout this process."
In four seasons at Lewis, Smith guided the Flyers to two seasons of 20-plus wins and three NCAA Division II NCAA Tournament appearances. Her 2018-19 team went 27-5 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While at Lewis, Smith mentored three Division II All-Americans, and coached 2019-20 National Player of the Year Jessica Kelliher and 2020-21 GLVC Freshman of the Year Jenna Badali.
"She is a student of the game and is connected at the highest level of women's college basketball," Hall added. "It is clear that the comprehensive welfare of her student-athletes is a high priority. Many I spoke to talked of long-enduring relationships she has with current and former players."
Prior to her Lewis tenure, Smith was the head coach at St. Francis, an NAIA school in Joliet, Illinois, where she became the youngest head coach in the nation at just 22 years old. At St. Francis, she turned a team that was 10-22 prior to her arrival into a 32-win program which made its first-ever appearance in the NAIA Final Four. She coached three NAIA All-Americans at St. Francis. The Fighting Saints were a combined 62-7 during her final two seasons as head coach and finished the 2017 season as the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA Division II Coaches Poll.
Academics remains a priority for Smith. While at St. Francis, the program's cumulative grade point average improved from 2.35 to 3.5.
Smith also has been a part of USA women's basketball since 2014, including two seasons as an on-court assistant where she was part of medal-winning teams at the FIBA American and European Championships.
She currently is a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Board of Directors.
As a player, Smith competed at DePaul from 2006-11. She ranked 20th in school history with 1,273 points. Her 484 career assists rank third all-time for the Blue Demons. She was a two-time All-Big East selection and an Academic All-District honoree.
A 2006 graduate of Joliet Catholic, she finished her high school career with 1,910 points.
She is 2020 inductee into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a player.
Smith and her husband, Greg Smith, have four children.
Smith's hiring is pending final approval from the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees. A formal press conference to introduce Smith will be announced soon.
