Jessica Smith

Position: Assistant Coach Experience: Fourth Season Alma Mater: Kansas, 2006

In her first season as an assistant coach working with the Kansas offense in 2011, KU alum Jessica Smith helped the Jayhawks collect their second-most goals in program history (46) while their 131 total points marked the third-highest output in a KU single season. Smith served as a volunteer assistant at Kansas for two years from 2009-10 before being promoted to full-time assistant coach at her alma mater in July 2011. One of the most successful offensive players in program history, Smith played for the Jayhawks from 2002-05.

Before her current role with KU, Smith coached at various levels in the Kansas City Metro area, including as a varsity assistant coach for both the boys' and girls' teams at Olathe Northwest High School. During her time at ONWHS, she helped lead the Lady Ravens to back-to-back region championships in 2008 and 2009, while assisting with the Ravens' boys regional championship team in 2007. Several of her players on both the girls' and boys' sides went on to play soccer at the college level.

In addition to her coaching duties at Olathe Northwest, Smith has served as a coach with the Kansas State ODP girls' program. In 2008, she was an assistant with the 1992 team, which was the first Kansas ODP team (boys or girls) to win an ODP Regional Championship. Her team went on to participate in the US Youth Soccer National ODP Championship tournament. Smith is currently working with the 1996 team.

Smith has also spent time working with TOPSoccer programs throughout the state of Kansas as a chairperson as well as a coach. TOPSoccer is U.S. Youth Soccer's outreach program for children with special needs.

Smith was an accomplished player during her years at KU. She served as the Jayhawks' team captain in 2004-05, and was twice named Academic All-Big 12. Her 2004 team won the Big 12 regular season championship - the first in program history - while her 2003 squad advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament (round of 16).

In 83 career games in the Crimson and Blue, Smith scored 16 goals, which still ranks as the eighth-best mark in program history, and registered 10 assists, including seven goals during her freshman season. She was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice as well as to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week in 2005.

Smith was a NSCAA All-American at Wichita Southeast High School. The Wichita, Kan., native left her high school career as the state's all-time leading scorer, a title which 2012 Jayhawk graduate Kortney Clifton took over in 2007.

Smith holds a USSF National "B" Coaching License. She graduated from KU in 2006 with a degree in sports and fitness management and currently resides in Lenexa, Kan.