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Smith Named Assistant T&F Coach
8/20/2021 1:08:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Former All-American joins Owls’ staff
HOUSTON – Rice women's track & field/cross country head coach Jim Bevan announced on Friday (Aug. 20) the addition of Laton Smith as the newest assistant coach for the Owls' program.
"We are so excited to welcome Laton to our staff," said Bevan. "She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and staff. She was a great athlete, an All-American, and has worked with youth and college athletes, been in a Power 5 program, headed up recruiting and has worked in the private sector world. She will make all of us better and will be a great leader and resource, due to all of her life experiences, for our team."
Smith most recently served as Director of Operations for both the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs at the University of Michigan (2016-18). Smith handled a wide variety of responsibilities while in Ann Arbor, Michigan and also was a recruiting coordinator in 2016 for the Wolverines.
Smith served as head coach for the track & field program at Delaware Community College in 2016 in Media, Pennsylvania. She began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Albany St. in 2003 and would later become the assistant track & field coach for the San Antonio Heat AAU Club, specializing in the hurdles from 2009-13.
On the track, Smith was a star earning All-American honors in the 400m relay and 400m hurdles at Albany State. Prior to that, Smith was a national qualifier in both the 400m relay and the 400m hurdles at Texas A&M-Kingsville (1998-00).
Smith received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing business management from Albany St. University in 2004 before earning her Master of Science degree in sport management from Drexel University in 2005.
"We are so excited to welcome Laton to our staff," said Bevan. "She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and staff. She was a great athlete, an All-American, and has worked with youth and college athletes, been in a Power 5 program, headed up recruiting and has worked in the private sector world. She will make all of us better and will be a great leader and resource, due to all of her life experiences, for our team."
Smith most recently served as Director of Operations for both the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs at the University of Michigan (2016-18). Smith handled a wide variety of responsibilities while in Ann Arbor, Michigan and also was a recruiting coordinator in 2016 for the Wolverines.
Smith served as head coach for the track & field program at Delaware Community College in 2016 in Media, Pennsylvania. She began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Albany St. in 2003 and would later become the assistant track & field coach for the San Antonio Heat AAU Club, specializing in the hurdles from 2009-13.
On the track, Smith was a star earning All-American honors in the 400m relay and 400m hurdles at Albany State. Prior to that, Smith was a national qualifier in both the 400m relay and the 400m hurdles at Texas A&M-Kingsville (1998-00).
Smith received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing business management from Albany St. University in 2004 before earning her Master of Science degree in sport management from Drexel University in 2005.
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