Former Clark University standout Brienne (Brie) Smith was named women’s soccer head coach at her alma mater on June 16, 2014.
She began her coaching duties on August 1 in time for the start of the 2014 season and enters her fourth season on the sidelines in 2017.
“Brie stood out from a very talented group of applicants,” said Cronin. “In the end, her unique combination of successful head coaching experience and unquestioned love for not only the women’s soccer program but for the University made her the perfect candidate to lead our program into the future. We are thrilled to have her.”
Smith spent the last four years as the head women’s coach at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. where she guided the Greyhounds to four straight Landmark Conference tournament appearances, including a berth in the championship game in 2012. During that 2012 season, Smith was named Landmark Coach of the Year, while two of her student-athletes garnered the league’s offensive and defensive player of the year awards, respectively. Her program saw eight student-athletes earn a combined 13 all-conference citations during her tenure, including six first-team selections.
“It is very humbling to return to Clark as the next head women’s soccer coach,” said Smith. “It is an honor to come home to Clark and have the opportunity to lead a program that I am already deeply committed to.”
Prior to Moravian, Smith spent nine years as an assistant coach at Tufts University under head coach Martha Whiting. During her time with the Jumbos, Smith helped lead them to three NCAA Tournament berths, including a trip to the Final Four in 2005 and more than 80 victories.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner with the Cougars appearing in 68 of 76 games from 1997-00. She was part of the 1998 team that won a school-record 17 games and garnered the school’s lone NCAA Tournament bid.
The biggest goal of her career came against her future employer during the 1999 season. She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Tufts in the quarterfinal round of the ECAC Tournament, catapulting the Cougars to the program’s first-ever postseason victory. Overall, she finished her career with 11 points (four goals, three assists) and 49 all-time wins.
A 2001 Clark University graduate with a degree in psychology and a minor in education, Smith also holds a master’s degree in physical education from Bridgewater State and a national coaching diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).
“My four years as a student-athlete at Clark were some of the best years of my life,” said Smith. “I want nothing more than to move this program forward and to provide these young women with a similar experience to the one that I had while I was at Clark.”