Sean Smith enters his fourth season as assistant women's basketball coach in 2018-19 at Rider University, having been hired in September, 2015.
In 2017-18, the Broncs went 14-17 overall and 10-8 MAAC play to earn the No. 5 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Rider won a MAAC Tournament game for the second year in a row after topping fourth-seeded Fairfield in the MAAC Quarterfinals. The Broncs advanced to the MAAC Semifinals for the second year in a row and the third time in program history.
During the year, four Broncs earned weekly awards from either the MAAC or College Sports Madness. At the conclusion of the regular season, three Rider players garnered All-MAAC recognition. Stella Johnson and Kamila Hoskova were named Second Team All-MAAC and freshman Jaiden Morris landed on the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
in 2017-18, Hoskova became the 22nd player in program history to score 1,000 career points. She ended her stellar tenure with the Broncs eighth all-time in scoring with 1,255 points.
The team had a record-breaking in 2016-17, finishing 24-9 and earning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) automatic bid to the WNIT thanks to a second-place finish during the regular season. The post-season berth was the first for the Broncs at the Division I level.
Smith helped guide the Broncs to arguably the most successful season in program history in 2016-17, racking up 24 wins and earning the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll, Rider posted an 8-2 mark both on the road and at home in conference play. The team swept eight MAAC opponents during the regular season and was ranked for four weeks in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll.
The 24 wins are the most victories by the Broncs under Head Coach Lynn Milligan and the most for the program since the team won 26 games during the 1981-82 season. The 24 wins against Division I opponents is the most in a single season in program history as well. The 16 MAAC wins are also the most under Milligan in a season and in program history. The team finished above .500 in conference play for the third time since entering the league and the No. 2 seed is the best for Rider since joining the MAAC as well.
In 2016-17, the women's basketball team saw four players earn All-MAAC honors as announced in early March by the league office. The four players earning All-MAAC honors is a new program record for Rider as the team saw three players receive league-wide distinction in 2012-13, 2001-02 and 1999-2000. The four players honored by the league were the most by any team in the conference this year.
Smith came to Lawrenceville from the University of Maine, where he spent two seasons as assistant coach, under current Maine and former Princeton University head coach Richard Barron.
In his last season at Maine, the Black Bears went 23-9, 14-2 in the America East, advancing to the WNIT after reaching the AE semifinals. Maine won 17 games in 2013-14 and advanced to the second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational.
Prior to joining the Black Bears, Smith was the lead skills trainer with Peach State Basketball since 2009. While with Peach State Basketball, Smith coordinated all individual skill developments during EBA camps and showcases. From Mount Holly in South Jersey, Smith served as an individual trainer to over 100 athletes nationwide through Peach State and later expanded his roll by starting his own skill development company "ATG Hoops" in the New Jersey area where he trained players up and down the eastern seaboard. Smith's company hosted four showcase events annually including the ATG showcase which drew players from seven states.
Smith served as a counselor for numerous basketball camps and clinics including Gannon Baker's Nike Elite camp at Georgia Southern University as well as the Princeton University camp for Barron and John Thompson III.
Smith was an assistant under Clint Bryant at Augusta State University. While at Augusta State, he assisted the recruiting coordinator in all aspects of recruitment.
As a freshman at ASU in 2000-01, Smith helped the team advance to the NCAA tournament after being crowned conference tournament champions for the first time in school history.
Smith also served as assistant camp director for the Clint Bryant basketball camp while at Augusta State.
One of Smith's early coaching jobs was head junior varsity boys and assistant Varsity boys coach at Rancocas Valley Regional High School. Smith built a JV program that compiled a record of 35-5 over two seasons, including a perfect 19-0 run in 2012-13. At RV, Smith helped guide the varsity program to a 24-2 regular season mark and the school's first conference title in five years.
Smith graduated from Rutgers University in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
