RENO, Nev. Darryl Smith will join the Wolf Pack women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach, Nevada head coach Kim Gervasoni announced Wednesday. He will begin his duties on July 1.
Smith brings over 16 years of college coaching experience to the University of Nevada, including 15 combined years as a head coach at Metropolitan State College of Denver, Wichita State University and, most recently, Butler Community College. As a head coach, he has turned in a 267-163 career record (.621 winning percentage), eight 20-win seasons, four conference championships and four NCAA Tournament bids.
“The Nevada women’s basketball program is very fortunate to have such a tremendous basketball coach and quality person join our staff,” Gervasoni said. “Coach Smith’s head coaching experience along with his recruiting ties will help our program immediately. He has had a high level of success at many different collegiate levels, and I am certain that success will carry on as an assistant at Nevada. Coach Smith is extremely passionate about the game. He also brings energy and possesses qualities on and off the court that will help us take the next step. Coach Smith is a perfect fit for our Nevada family.”
Smith comes to Nevada after spending the past two seasons as the head coach at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., where he led his team to a 23-10 record and the Region IV semifinal game in 2006-07.
Prior to Butler CC, Smith spent five years as the head women’s basketball coach at Wichita State where he led the Shockers to a pair of Women’s National Invitational Tournament invitations in 1999 and 2000, the only two postseason appearances in school history, and a 74-68 overall record. In 1999-00, he guided Wichita State to a 20-10 overall record and a 14-4 Missouri Valley Conference record, the first 20-win season and the best regular-season MVC finish in school history, as well as an appearance in the WNIT. For his efforts, he was named the 2000 Rawlings Missouri Valley and Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.
Smith also served as the head coach at Metro State for eight years, putting together six 20-win seasons and a 160-64 overall record. A three-time conference coach of the year, he guided the Roadrunners to three appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, three conference championships and three conference tournament titles during his tenure at Metro State. He also spent one season as an assistant coach at Cal State-San Bernardino in 1990.
Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in education from the College of Great Falls (Mont.) in 1981.
“Coming to the University of Nevada is a great opportunity for me,” Smith said. “Being a coach, I know what Coach Gervasoni and her staff have done to get this program in to the position they are in, and that commands respect. I am excited to be a part of history at Nevada and help the Wolf Pack win championships, get to the NCAA Tournament and make some noise when we get there.”
