Jessi Smith - Strength & Conditioning Coach (Volleyball, Track & Field) - Volleyball Support Staff

Jessi Smith

Title:
Strength & Conditioning Coach (Volleyball, Track & Field)

Dr. Jessi Smith joined the University of Florida athletic performance staff in March 2024 and has wasted little time making an impact. Working primarily with women's volleyball and supporting track and field, she has been part of a volleyball program that has reached the NCAA Tournament in each of her two seasons, advancing to the Round of 16 in 2024 and the Round of 32 in 2025. On the track side, the Gators have been a consistent presence on the national podium, with multiple top-three finishes at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships across both programs during her time. She also helps lead the department's volunteer intern curriculum.

Her path to Gainesville included several stops, most recently at Cal State Long Beach, where she worked from 2022-24 as an assistant sports performance coach leading women’s soccer, women’s golf and softball while supporting work with men’s volleyball and basketball. Her tenure saw the softball team win the Big West title and make a run to the College Softball World Series Regional in 2023, and women's golf followed with their own conference championship the next year. The department recognized her contributions with the Cindy Massner Staff Excellence Award in 2023.

Before Long Beach, Dr. Smith took on the role of Interim Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at UW-Parkside, a position that put her in charge of ten sport programs at once while also serving as a volunteer assistant track and field coach.

She began her career at UW-La Crosse, where she volunteered as an assistant coach for both men's track and field and women's basketball while completing her master's degree. The track program there had a standout 2015 season, claiming the WIAC conference title indoors and out and finishing as NCAA Division III national champions outdoors. She has also held roles at Eckerd College, D1 Sports in Tampa and a private youth coaching program where she worked with kids facing ADHD, behavioral challenges and other special needs, while also running group exercise sessions for adults with Parkinson's disease.

Smith brings a deep academic background to her work. She earned her Doctor of Education in sport and performance psychology - with a focus on leadership and program design - from the University of Western States in 2022. That followed a Master of Science in human performance from UW-La Crosse and a Bachelor of Science in graphic communications management from UW-Stout, both completed magna cum laude. As an undergraduate, she competed in varsity basketball and track and field, earning seven All-American honors. She holds the NSCA's Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential, NASM's Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) certification and is an active member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.