University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Basketball Taps Kiara Smith as Assistant Coach
07.10.2015 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville women's basketball head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick has announced the hiring of former N.C. State graduate assistant and UT-Chattanooga standout Kiara Smith as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs.
Smith comes to Asheville after spending the last two seasons as a Graduate Assistant with the Wolfpack following a four year career playing for UT-Chattanooga from 2008-2012.
“I am very pleased to have Coach Smith on board at a very exciting time in our program. She is knowledgeable, personable and a great role model for our student-athletes,” stated Kirkpatrick. “We were looking for a coach that would bring a high level of energy and enthusiasm to the program on a day to day basis.”
“A former player at UT Chattanooga, Coach Smith is accustomed to winning championships and is a great fit for our staff and the UNC Asheville community.”
As a player with the Mocs, Smith was a member of the Southern Conference Regular Season Championship Team in 2009 and a part of the Southern Conference Championship team in 2010. The team grabbed an NCAA postseason appearance in 2014 and reached the postseason NIT following the 2015 campaign.
As a graduate assistant with the Wolfpack, Smith assisted the coaching staff in executing the day to day operations of the program and worked closely with perimeter players and developing workouts for players with assistant coaches. She served as liaison between coaches and student-athletes and also has experience with scouting reports and film break down for upcoming games.
A native of Rome, Georgia, Smith won back-to-back state championships at Model High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from UT-Chattanooga in 2012 and is currently working towards her Masters of Science in Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Sports Management from N.C. State.
