A veteran with more than 20 years of coaching experience, Melissa Batie-Smoose joined San José State in 2023 after coming from Fairfield Volleyball where she was since 2019. Batie-Smoose has been a Division I head coach at Holy Cross and Cornell in addition to time on the sidelines in the ACC, SEC, Conference USA and Missouri Valley Conference.
The start of Batie-Smoose's term at Fairfield coincided with the Stags' return to the top of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Stags posted a 24-6 record in 2019, earning a 17-1 mark in conference play en route to the program's 11th MAAC Championship and NCAA postseason bid.
Fairfield repeated as Regular Season Champion in the spring 2021 season, posting a 9-1 record in the truncated campaign. The Stags once again claimed the MAAC regular season and tournament titles in the fall of 2021.
Overall, Fairfield is 57-16 overall and 42-4 in the MAAC in three seasons with Batie-Smoose on the sidelines.
Most recently at the helm for four seasons at Holy Cross, Batie-Smoose mentored Mandy Sifferlen to one of the most outstanding careers in program history. Sifferlen ranks second on the Crusaders’ career charts in kills with 1,334 and went on to play professionally in Finland after graduation. Batie-Smoose’s teams achieved academically throughout her tenure, totaling 32 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections, and were recognized locally and nationally for their community service efforts.
Batie-Smoose began her coaching career at Charlotte, with stops at Allegheny College, Creighton, Florida and Wake Forest. After a one-year stint as the Head Coach at Division II Nova Southeastern, she was hired by Todd Kress as his Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Florida State for 2006 and 2007.
In 2008, she went on to Savannah College of Art & Design (NAIA), where she became the most successful head coach in program history. Batie-Smoose compiled a four-year record of 81-43 (.653). She was the 2009 Sun Conference Coach of the Year, leading her team to a conference title and appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.
Batie-Smoose has also had great success at the junior level. She spent two seasons as the head coach of the Gainesville Juniors 16/1 Club Team. Ranked eighth nationally, they finished in the top 10 at nationals. One of her Gainesville pupils, Marcie Hampton, was named to the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team. Batie-Smoose also coached Team Florida, part of the USA High Performance Program, and took them to the Volley Classic in Utah.
A 1991 graduate of Southern Mississippi, Batie-Smoose was a two-year starter and two-time team MVP for the Golden Eagles. She began her collegiate playing career at Texas Tech.
The start of Batie-Smoose's term at Fairfield coincided with the Stags' return to the top of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Stags posted a 24-6 record in 2019, earning a 17-1 mark in conference play en route to the program's 11th MAAC Championship and NCAA postseason bid.
Fairfield repeated as Regular Season Champion in the spring 2021 season, posting a 9-1 record in the truncated campaign. The Stags once again claimed the MAAC regular season and tournament titles in the fall of 2021.
Overall, Fairfield is 57-16 overall and 42-4 in the MAAC in three seasons with Batie-Smoose on the sidelines.
Most recently at the helm for four seasons at Holy Cross, Batie-Smoose mentored Mandy Sifferlen to one of the most outstanding careers in program history. Sifferlen ranks second on the Crusaders’ career charts in kills with 1,334 and went on to play professionally in Finland after graduation. Batie-Smoose’s teams achieved academically throughout her tenure, totaling 32 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections, and were recognized locally and nationally for their community service efforts.
Batie-Smoose began her coaching career at Charlotte, with stops at Allegheny College, Creighton, Florida and Wake Forest. After a one-year stint as the Head Coach at Division II Nova Southeastern, she was hired by Todd Kress as his Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Florida State for 2006 and 2007.
In 2008, she went on to Savannah College of Art & Design (NAIA), where she became the most successful head coach in program history. Batie-Smoose compiled a four-year record of 81-43 (.653). She was the 2009 Sun Conference Coach of the Year, leading her team to a conference title and appearance in the NAIA National Tournament.
Batie-Smoose has also had great success at the junior level. She spent two seasons as the head coach of the Gainesville Juniors 16/1 Club Team. Ranked eighth nationally, they finished in the top 10 at nationals. One of her Gainesville pupils, Marcie Hampton, was named to the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team. Batie-Smoose also coached Team Florida, part of the USA High Performance Program, and took them to the Volley Classic in Utah.
A 1991 graduate of Southern Mississippi, Batie-Smoose was a two-year starter and two-time team MVP for the Golden Eagles. She began her collegiate playing career at Texas Tech.