SAN JOSE, Calif.— Melissa Batie-Smoose has been named associate head coach for the women's volleyball program. She begins immediately as the beach volleyball team begins competition later this month.
Batie-Smoose has over three decades of experience coaching women's volleyball, starting immediately after her collegiate playing career with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles ended in 1991.
Most recently she served as associate head coach at Fairfield University, working for some time under current SJSU volleyball head coach Todd Kress. In her time with the Stags from 2019 to 2022, she guided Fairfield to two MAAC Championship titles and NCAA postseason bids, and posted an overall record of 57-16 in just three seasons.
Batie-Smoose also worked with Kress at Florida State while she was an assistant.
"Melissa is passionate about our sport and even more passionate about helping each and every student-athlete succeed on the court, in the classroom and in life," Kress said. "She's a cancer survivor and brings that fighting spirit to everything she does. People in our sport know we've been friends for many years and when trust, understanding and loyalty are our core values; it creates a special work environment. We are all lucky to have her as an integral part of Spartan Volleyball."
Batie-Smoose started her coaching career by spending four seasons as an assistant with UNC Charlotte. She then worked her way up the coaching ranks serving as an assistant at Allegheny for one season and on Creighton's staff for one season. She then took a chance by working as a volunteer assistant for the University of Florida for one year, before moving on for stints on the coaching staffs of Wake Forest and Florida State.
In 2005, Batie-Smoose got her first opportunity as a collegiate head coach with Nova Southeastern University, where she helped to recruit a crucial group of players that would later take the program to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II tournament. She went on to serve as head coach at Savannah College of Art and Design (2008-11), Cornell University (2012-14) and College of the Holy Cross (2015-18) before serving as associate head coach under Kress at Fairfield University.
EXPERIENCE:
Savannah College of Art and Design (2008-11)
- Most successful head coach in school history, leading the Bees to an 81-43 overall record during her tenure
- Won 2009 Sun Conference Coach of the Year after leading her squad to a conference title and an NAIA National Tournament appearance
- Cornell University (2012-14)
- In her first year as head coach, lead the Big Red to its best overall record (9-16) and conference record (5-9) since 2008 and snapped an 11-game losing streak to Princeton
- 2013 saw the Big Red earn three All-Ivy team selections, a program-best since 2008
- In 2014, the program had its first ever Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and had two Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards
- Holy Cross (2015-18)
- Mentored Mandy Sifferlen to one of the most outstanding careers in Crusader program history, who went on to play professionally in Finland upon graduation
- Team achieved academically under Batie-Smoose's watch, totaling 32 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections, as well as being recognized both nationally and locally for their community service efforts
- Fairfield University (2019-22)
- Posted a 24-6 record in her first season as associate head coach, including a 17-1 conference record and the 11th MAAC Championship and NCAA postseason bid in program history
- She followed the Stags' 2019 campaign with a 9-1 record in 2020 before the season had to be cancelled due to COVID-19
- In 2021 she helped return the Stags to the top of the MAAC, taking the regular season and tournament titles for an overall record of 57-16 in her time as associate head coach at Fairfield
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