HILBERT NAMES STACEY SMITH TO LEAD WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Stacey Smith has been hired as the sixth head coach of the women’s volleyball program at Hilbert College after serving as the Hawks’ top assistant since 2015.  Smith is ready for the challenge of leading a program with the goal of qualifying for post-season play in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

“Stacey has shown a passion for coaching the sport over the last few seasons,” said John Czarnecki, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.  “She has had a prolific playing career that has translated very well to coaching, and I am confident that she will lead the program to new heights.”

After a quick a few weeks with the team in the fall of 2015, Smith left WNY in late-September and moved to Nottingham, England where she earned a master’s degree in business management from Nottingham University.  While there, she was also a member of their 2015-16 Sports Scholars representing Nottingham in volleyball competitions throughout Europe.  Smith returned home the following year and spent the entire 2016 season with the Hawks helping with skill development and game-day coaching.

The Eden, N.Y. native attended the University of Georgia and playing for the Bulldogs on the volleyball court for three seasons. After red-shirting her freshman year, the right side hitter helped guide the team to a 47-44 overall record her final years in Athens, Ga. Smith garnered SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll honors and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll by her senior year.

With one season of athletic eligibility remaining, Smith enrolled at Syracuse University and earned her master's degree while playing for the Orange in 2014. In 28 matches, Smith recorded 146 points (1.62 pps) and 117 kills (1.30 kps) as Syracuse finished with a 9-21 overall record.

The Eden High School girls’ volleyball program won three New York State championships while Smith was a student. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the N.Y.S. Championship tournament, was a 2009 All-American, a 1st Team All-New York athlete, was a finalist for the New York State Player of the Year both her junior and senior seasons and was tabbed ESPN RISE Fab50 selection in 2009.

Smith earned her bachelor's degree in marketing from Georgia in 2014 and a master's of science degree in new media management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse in 2015.