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July 15, 2004 Princess Anne, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has strengthened its coaching staff and its history, adding alum Meredith Smith as the new first assistant coach for men's basketball. Smith is no stranger to UMES, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), or to basketball. He graduated from UMES, then Maryland State College, in 1975 and obtained a Master's Equivalency from MEAC rival, Coppin State College. His coaching career began even earlier, in 1969. At that time Smith started at Southern High School, leading the swimming team to an MSA Conference Co-Championship and the freshman-sophomore JV Football squad to a championship. Four years earlier he began as a physical education teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools. Smith began his basketball coaching career in 1975, serving two seasons as the JV coach at Southern. In 1978 he took over the varsity program and never looked back. In 14 seasons Smith collected 414 wins with just 145 losses. Those wins are the second most victories in Baltimore City Public School history. He won in the playoffs as well, 25 times, and only lost five. He has three Maryland State Championships (MPSSAA), two Maryland Scholastic Association Conference Championships, and a Baltimore City Championship in 1999-2000. Nationally, Smith is no stranger to success. He has six USA Today National Rankings, including a #2 finish in 1992-1993, a #7 in 1991-1992, and #10 in 1995-1996. He has also had Southern ranked in the USA Today Super 25 Preseason Rankings in 1991-1992, 1992-1993, 1995-1996, 1998-1999, 1999-2000, and 2000-2001. The Baltimore Sun named him their 1993 "Coach of the Year." "Coach Smith brings with him a sense of pride and history to the program. He knows the school and more importantly he knows basketball. He has been nothing but successful and we expect that success to continue here at UMES," said Head Coach Larry Lessett. Smith has taken tournament titles all over the country, winning the Slam Dunk to the Beach Power Series, the National Bracket of the Charm City Classic, the Norfolk VA Catholic Holiday Classic, the Aberdeen Tip-Off Classic, the Modie Richer Holiday Classic in Charleston, SC and several more. Smith knows the players all over the country as well, working the NBA Players Association High School Camp since 1996 and the Nike All-American Basketball Camp since 1998. He has also served on the staff of the Adidas ABCD All-American Camp from 1990-1997 and the Five Stars Basketball Camp at Robert Morris University since 1995. Smith enjoys working with students in any sport at any level. He served as the Baseball Coach for 14 years, winning four MSA Championships. He won another championship as the Varsity Table Tennis Coach, and until leaving for UMES still was at the helm of the cross-country and track programs. "It's the perfect time and the perfect opportunity; this being my alma mater it is a heart felt move," said Smith. "I am really impressed with the coaching staff and the direction it is heading. I think I can be instrumental in putting together a strong winning program and taking it in the direction we want to go, up."
"I really believe in the school and the athletic program, not just basketball," Smith added. "I am very impressed with the leadership of Nelson Townsend, he is a great friend and great leader."
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