Jake Smith is in his first year as the Director of Basketball Performance at SIUE.
Before arriving at SIUE, Jake was the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the 1st Ranger Battalion in Savannah, GA. After arriving at the battalion in 2018, Smith was part of a wide overhaul of the human performance program that led to an overall improvement in unit readiness and performance. Jake oversaw the design and renovation phase of the Ranger’s 10,000 sq ft training facility and led the simultaneous development of a new 4,500 sq ft training facility. During his time with the 1st Ranger Battalion, Jake also saw a combat deployment to Afghanistan with his unit to provide his expertise overseas.
Before his time in Savannah, Smith worked with the football strength and conditioning staff at the University of Notre Dame in 2017. During his time at Notre Dame football, the Irish went 10-3 with a victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl and the offensive line received the Joe Moore Award, awarded to the best offensive line in the country.
Prior to Notre Dame, Smith was a graduate assistant at the University of West Florida where he worked with multiple sports including men’s and women’s basketball. He saw multiple teams win numerous conference championships and helped lay the foundation for an eventual National Championship with the football team. Jake has also had previous stops at EXOS and the University of Indianapolis.
Over his career Smith has coached 50 NFL draft picks, including 10 first-round picks. He has coached national champions, Olympians, as well as professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and international Rugby Union.
In addition to developing Army Rangers, Jake’s expertise has also developed Navy Seals, Green Berets, and operators throughout the United States Special Operation Command (USSOCOM), improving performance and rehabilitation outcomes.
A native of Rensselaer, Indiana, Smith is a registered strength and conditioning coach and a certified specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Jake is married to Katie Smith, a former standout four-year starter on the University of West Florida women’s basketball team, where she helped lead her team to the Elite Eight in her final season. They have one daughter, Madeleine.
