He just finished his eighth season on Ray McCallum’s coaching staff in 2015-16, assistant coach Jay Smith has brought a wealth of basketball experience with him to UDM. Smith works with the Titans post players as well as scouting future opponents and coordinating the playing schedule.
“I’ve known Jay since our college days,” McCallum recalled. “I tried to recruit him to Ball State when I was there. Our relationship has continued for many years. We were on the staff together for a short time at Michigan, and we were competing coaches in the Mid-American Conference. He’ll bring state-wide recognition with him to our school.
Smith is a former head coach at both Grand Valley State and Central Michigan, and also served as an assistant at Kent State and Michigan during his career.
“He’s produced MAC Champions and he’s developed pro prospects. That’s going to make him a great addition to our first staff. He’s going to work with our big guys. He developed Chris Kaman into a (NBA Draft) lottery pick. He worked with (Chris) Webber and all those post guys at Michigan who went on to the NBA,” coach McCallum added. “So you know he’s going to work with our big guys, too.”
Since coming to UDM, Smith has helped a pair of Titans earn conference honors in center Eli Holman and forward Xavier Keeling, who were both selected to the All-Horizon League Newcomer team in 2010. Holman-- considered one of the top big men in the league and among mid-majors-- led the conference in rebounding, double-doubles and was a Second Team All-HL honoree in 2011. Defensively, Holman was second and another Titan forward LaMarcus Lowe ended his career third in school history in blocks.
Holman would go on to sign a contract with the Houston Rockets to play in the 2012 NBA Summer League.
In his last college assignment, Smith coached Central Michigan for nine years and was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year after leading CMU to regular season titles in both 2001 and 2003. His 2003 squad won a school-record 25 games en route to the MAC Tournament championship. CMU went on to win its 2003 first-round NCAA Tournament game over 15th-ranked Creighton.
CMU was 95-160 in nine seasons under Smith. The 95 victories rank fourth in Chippewas history while the nine seasons rank as the school’s fourth-longest coaching tenure.
Smith recruited and coached two MAC Players of the Year in David Webber (2001) and Chris Kaman (2003). Kaman left Central after his junior season and was the sixth overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Smith’s CMU players earned two first-team All-MAC honors, one second-team award, eight honorable mention selections and five MAC All-Freshman Team picks.
Smith was also head coach at Grand Valley State for one season – compiling a 23-6 record and guiding the Lakers to a GLIAC Championship and NCAA Tournament in 1997. He also served on the staff at Kent State from 1984-89, where the Golden Flashes made two NIT Appearances, and at Michigan from 1989-96. While at Michigan Smith made two Final Four appearances (1992, 1993) and helped in recruiting what some consider to be "the greatest class ever recruited" in the "Fab Five". Smith also worked with Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills, Eric Riley, Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Maceo Baston while with the Maize and Blue. As a player Smith still holds the Michigan state record for career scoring after notching 2,841 points at Mio Au Sable High School (1976-79).
Smith graduated from Saginaw Valley State in 1984, and received his Master’s in 1986 from Kent State. Smith and his wife Tymi are the proud parents of two children, son Cooper (15) and daughter Cazzi Renee (10).
