Smith Selected as New TWU Head Women's Basketball Coach

ATHENS, Tenn. - Vice President and Director of Athletics Donny Mayfield announced the hiring of Jason Smith as the next head women's basketball coach at Tennessee Wesleyan University on Monday. 

Smith, who has previous experience as a coach in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC), spent last season as the head women's basketball coach at Peru State University. Smith will look to build on the successful history of the TWU women's basketball program established by former head coaches Jeff Rice and Stan Harrison. Smith takes over a Bulldogs team that finished last season with 13 wins and 13 losses and ended the year in the AAC quarterfinals with a loss to Reinhardt University.

"We are excited to have Coach Smith join our athletic department as the next head coach for women's basketball. Coach Smith has enjoyed tremendous success during his time in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, and we look forward to Coach Smith guiding our program and building on the great history of women's basketball at TWU," stated Mayfield.

"First of all, I am very thankful and honored to be the head women's basketball coach at such an excellent, long-standing program as Tennessee Wesleyan. Second, I want to thank President Dr. Tyler Forrest and Donny Mayfield for this great opportunity," expressed Smith.

"Coach Smith is a character-driven coach and will be a valuable addition to our Athletic Department. He has a proven record of success that will continue to improve our women's basketball program," added President Dr. Tyler Forrest.

Prior to his head coaching position at Peru State, Smith was the head women's basketball coach at Cedarville University from 2021-2023 and Bryan College from 2011-2021. During his time at Bryan, Smith had a 219–85 overall record and a 157-49 conference record, won five AAC Regular Season Championships and four AAC Tournament Championships, and guided Bryan to six NAIA National Tournament appearances. Smith was named the AAC Coach of the Year three times. In his final three seasons, Smith led Bryan to a 78-7 overall record and a perfect 64-0 conference record. Smith is the all-time winningest coach coach at Bryan.

"My family and I are really excited to be moving back to Tennessee where we have deep roots and many relationships. I look forward to hitting the ground running to tirelessly work every day in building a championship-caliber program while developing great teammates and leaders," added Smith.

Tennessee Wesleyan will open up the 2024-25 women's basketball season in October.