Brian Smith joined the Columbia volleyball program as an assistant coach in September of 2025.
Smith most recently served as head coach at Molloy University, where he guided the program to three conference tournament appearances and a 2022 NCAA East Regional Tournament berth. In 2023, he was named East Coast Conference Coach of the Year, where his squad topped the league in blocks per set and total blocks while ranking second in nearly every other statistical category.
During his tenure, he coached multiple standout athletes, including outside hitter Kiarra Roth, who became the program's fourth All-American. Roth also captured Conference Player of the Year honors. Smith also coached eight all-conference honorees.
Before he arrived in Rockville Centre, Smith was a member of Academy Sports of Long Island's coaching staff for two years. As an assistant coach on both the boys' and girls' sides, he was instrumental in guiding three different teams to a USAV National Championship berth. In 2019, Smith took the helm and led his team to the Girls' Junior National Championship tournament. More than two dozen of Smith's players have gone on to compete at the Division I or II level as scholarship-earning players.Â
In addition to his coaching achievements, Brian has served as a New York State Trooper since 2014, where he is recognized for his dedication to public safety. As a Troop Traffic Safety Officer and Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) Instructor, he has played a key role in training recruits and ensuring compliance with safety standards.
Smith earned his Bachelor of Arts in organizational communication from SUNY New Paltz, where he was a three-time captain of the men's volleyball team. He helped lead the Hawks to their first-ever No. 1Â national ranking, an NCAA Final Four appearance, and was named Team MVP in 2014. In his senior year, he was selected for the Heinze Ahlmeyer Jr. Award, the highest honor bestowed on a New Paltz student-athlete.
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