Smoak Named @MiamiWBB Director of Video Ops
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami women’s basketball head coach Katie Meier announced Tuesday the hiring of Sarah Smoak as director of video operations.
Smoak has nearly eight years of experience working in women’s basketball. She comes to Miami after spending two seasons at Coastal Carolina University as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I would like to thank Coastal Carolina for embracing me as part of its family for the past two years and preparing me to take this next step in my career. I will forever value the relationships I built there.” Smoak said. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with a proven coach and phenomenal person, Katie Meier, at the highest level. The family atmosphere and energy of this program are unmatched. I am humbled to have the opportunity to work alongside such a talented staff.”
At Coastal, Smoak was in charge of overseeing the recruiting calendar and planning all of the staff’s contacts, evaluations and visits with prospects. In 2014, she helped the Chanticleers sign the highest-rated signing class in program history, according to the All-Star Girls Report.
Additionally, Smoak was involved in Coastal’s scheduling and scouting, while also serving as its compliance liaison and admissions liaison. On the court, she was Coastal’s wing position coach, and during her two years there, the Chanticleers set the program record for points in a game (121) and had their best ever start to conference play (4-0).
Prior to Coastal, Smoak spent nearly four years as the director of recruiting at Duke University. She organized recruiting communications, coordinated home visit presentations, managed the marketing of the program, directed camps, and more.
Smoak helped the Blue Devils land in the top 10 of ESPN HoopGurlz’s recruiting class rankings all four years, including the top spot in the nation in 2010, while signing five top-10 recruits during that stretch. Duke won the ACC regular season championship and reached the Elite Eight every year she was the team’s director of recruiting.
“Obviously we are thrilled to add someone with Sarah’s experience to our already tremendous staff,” Meier said. “Sarah is a truly special person with a great passion for the game. I’m excited to break down film with her and get her established in our culture. Throughout her career she has established herself as a multi-tasker who improves every program she is at.”
Before being hired full-time at Duke, Smoak served as a Blue Devils basketball intern for the Blue Devils from August 2008 to July 2009. Smoak was also an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at William Peace University from August 2007 to June 2008.
A Charlotte, N.C. native, Smoak earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology with a concentration in coaching in 2006 from Lynchburg College, where she was a four-year varsity letter winner. In her final season, Smoak was the team captain, an Old Dominion Athletic Conference Senior All-Star Team selection and an ODAC Academic All-Conference honoree.
To learn more about University of Miami women’s basketball, follow @CanesWBB.
