Alma Mater: Hamilton, ‘04
Career Record: 233-143, 14 seasons
Record at SUNY Morrisville: 223-143, 14 seasons
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- SUNY Morrisville (2009 – present)
- NAC Tournament Appearance
- Nine NEAC Tournament Appearances
- Five NEAC Tournament Championship Titles
- Five NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Appearances
- Two-time NEAC Coach of the Year
- D3hoops.com East Region Coach of the Year
YEAR-BY-YEAR at SUNY MORRISVILLE
- 2023-24 - 20-5 overall, 11-1 North Atlantic
- NAC Tournament Appearance
- NAC Player of the Year
- NAC Coaching Staff of the Year
- 2022-23 - 11-14 overall, 7-9 United East
- 2021-22 - 9-16, 6-10 United East
- 2020-21 - season canceled due to COVID pandemic
- 2019-20 – 16-11, 12-4 NEAC
- 2018-19 – 23-5, 15-1 NEAC
- NEAC Regular Season Champions
- NEAC Tournament Champions
- NCAA Division III First Round
- NEAC Coach of the Year
- 2017-18 – 19-9, 14-2 NEAC
- 2016-17 – 22-7, 15-3 NEAC
- NEAC Tournament Champions
- NCAA Division III First Round
- 2015-16 – 19-8, 14-3 NEAC
- NEAC Regular Season Champions
- NEAC Tournament Finals
- 2014-15 – 11-14, 7-10 NEAC
- 2013-14 – 22-9, 13-5 NEAC
- NEAC Regular Season Champions
- NEAC Tournament Champions
- NCAA Division III Elite 8
- 2012-13 – 23-6, 13-2 NEAC
- NEAC Regular Season Champions
- NEAC Tournament Champions
- NCAA Division III Sweet 16
- D3hoops.com East Coach of the Year
- 2011-12 – 19-9, 14-1 NEAC
- NEAC Regular Season Champions
- NEAC Tournament Champions
- NCAA Division III First Round
- NEAC Coach of the Year
- 2010-11 - 12-13, 10-8 NEAC
- 2009-10 – 7-17, 0-1 NEAC
ROAD TO MORRISVILLE:
Joseph Smith joined the SUNY Morrisville athletic department as head coach of the men’s basketball program in the fall of 2009.
In 13 seasons at the helm of the program, Smith has compiled an overall record of 213 wins and 138 losses, guiding the team to nine North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship Tournament appearances, five tournament titles and five appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament.
On December 15, 2015, Smith collected his 100th career victory as head coach in the win against Medaille College.
One of the most storied stretches of Smith’s career at the helm of the Mustangs, began in the 2011-12 season, where they compiled a 14-1 conference record to claim the regular season divisional title. That same season, the Mustangs claimed their first NEAC Championship Title and became the first men's basketball program to make an appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Smith was named Coach of the Year for the NEAC, after guiding Morrisville State to a 19-9 overall record.
Continuing success on the court from the 2012-13 historical season and led the Mustangs to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a 23-6 overall record. Smith’s unit claimed the NEAC regular season and championship tournament titles for a second straight year, along with a second bid to the NCAA Tournament. Under his direction, the Mustangs exploded in post-season play, posting two major upsets over nationally ranked programs as they advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. Come season end, Morrisville State earned its first national ranking in the D3hoops.com final poll, 20th overall.
He followed with guiding the Mustangs to a 22-9 overall record, 13-5 record in NEAC play in 2013-14, capturing the championship tournament title for a third straight season. Morrisville State earned their third straight bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament and again made waves in the post-season, upending nationally ranked programs to advance to the Sweet 16 Sectional round of the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. In that round, Smith guided the Mustangs past nationally ranked Richard Stockton to earn the college’s first ever appearance in the Elite Eight, where they ended their season with a heartbreaking loss to defending national champion Amherst College.
At the conclusion of the season the Mustangs earned their second national ranking in the D3hoops.com final poll, ranking 16th among all Division III programs.
Smith’s efforts with Mustang squad throughout his time on the sidelines garnered several post-season accolades, including several All-Conference team selections. First team all-conference choice Jordan Prior, went on to earn D3hoops.com All-East Region accolades, NABC Division III All-District First Team honors, and ECAC Upstate Division III All-Star recognition. He was named the D3hoops.com All-East Region Coach of the Year for a second straight season, and later was named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Division III Coach of the Year, becoming one of few to earn that accolade both as a player and coach.
Smith also coached Kevin Dennis to NEAC Rookie, ECAC Rookie, D3hoops.com Rookie, NEAC Player of the Year and four-time All-Conference accolades, while the power forward also earned regional and national recognition with BACNY and NABC awards. Dennis also rose to the top of the program’s record books in several categories and became the first in program history to earn status as a stats champion through the NCAA, Division III.
The 2004 graduate of Hamilton College, played four years for Tom Murphy and the Continentals’, and was instrumental in leading the team to several post-season tournament appearances, including the ECAC Tournament in 2001, the UCAA semi-finals in 2002, the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 round in 2003 and the NCAA Tournament in 2004. As a senior, Smith averaged 21.0 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game, starting all 27 games for Hamilton, and was named the Liberty League Player of the Year and Division III New York State Player of the Year in 2004, while garnering All-American honors.
During his time at Hamilton, the team went 66-31 overall. Smith holds the third spot in the Continentals record book for career blocks with 120 and is 14th in career scoring with 1,333 points. Following graduation from Hamilton, Smith played professionally for the BK Amager in Copenhagen, Denmark until 2009, where the team appeared in the playoff’s four times, including a 2007 run to the semi-final round. While with the BK Amager, Smith was a four-time Danish League All-Star and also assisted in all aspects of coaching during his time in Denmark.
Smith returned to the States for a season, joining the SUNYIT coaching staff in 2005-06 as an assistant for the men’s basketball program. That same year, SUNYIT reached the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) finals for the first time in school history, earning the team a bid to the ECAC Championship Tournament.
Since 2000, Smith has given private basketball lessons to the local community, lecturing at area high schools and camps on playing excellence, assisting to develop local talent to continue their playing career to the collegiate level.
Smith had a stellar playing stint for Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School, under local legend Al Knapp, where he was a three-time All-State and Section III All-Star, leading the Red Devils to a sectional championship title in 1999. He was inducted into the school's Wall of Fame in October 2018.
