Mike Smith enters his 27th year in the Lincoln Memorial University athletic department with the last 14 years in administration. Since being promoted to the Associate Athletics Director in 2011, Smith’s primary responsibilities fall in the area of NCAA Compliance where he oversees student-athlete eligibility and NCAA paperwork. Prior to the promotion, he served as LMU’s Assistant Athletic Director from 2007-2011.
Sport supervision is another aspect with which Smith has been involved with, as he currently supervises bowling (M/W), golf (M/W), and volleyball (M/W/Beach). In the past he has been involved with supervising baseball, women's basketball, softball, and tennis (M/W). As a sport supervisor, Smith works with each head coach on all aspects of their programs but focuses primarily on budgeting and scheduling.
Smith is very active with the SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee), as he has been involved with it since 2008. In 2010, he took over as advisor. The group is represented by all sports teams with over 50 members, and they are a voice for the student-athletes to the athletic administration. The committee members represent the LMU student-athletes regarding NCAA legislation and in meetings with the South Atlantic Conference members. In addition, the committee has continually worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in their fundraising efforts.
On the campus at Lincoln Memorial, Smith currently serves on the committees focused on Title IX, Gender Equity and Inclusion, scholarships, compliance, Hall of Fame, athletic administration, and the South Atlantic Conference task force. In recent years, Smith served on the NCAA Regional Advisory Committees for Men’s Golf, Men’s Soccer and Men’s Tennis. He was also part of the development of the initial fan council committee.
Fundraising has been a part of the responsibilities that Smith has undertaken with the Play4Kay initiative. Being involved with this for the last several years, LMU has led the nation in overall monies raised twice and led the South Atlantic Conference on four occasions.
With 22 teams in the athletic department, there have been a lot of successes during Smith’s tenure. During a three-year span, LMU notched consecutive Top 100 finishes in the Learfield Director’s Cup standings.
Academically, the athletic department has improved its grade point average to a high of 3.31 in the 2019-20 academic year. The grade point average has eclipsed its previous mark each of the last five years.
Prior to turning all of his attention to athletic administration, Smith held the position of women’s volleyball coach for 17 seasons (1994-2010). During that time, the program accomplished a record of 351-214 for a lifetime .621 winning percentage. Before Smith took over as head coach, the volleyball program was 9-48 in its previous two seasons.
During his tenure, Smith coached 16 all-conference performers, four all-region selections and eight LMU Athletes Hall of Fame inductees. Thirteen of his 17 teams posted 20-plus win seasons and three consecutive teams earned bids to the NCAA Southeast Regional from 2008-10 (the first LMU team in any sport to do so at that time).
Smith has also served as a color commentator for LMU Women’s Volleyball since he left the sideline, and for the men's program since its inception. Briefly in the fall of 2017, Smith also stepped in as the interim head men’s volleyball coach for a two-month stint and he also served a three-month stint as Interim Athletic Director in 2015.
A native of Manchester, Ky., Smith graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in the fall of 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and health sciences. Two years later, he completed his master’s degree in education with a concentration in administration and supervision from LMU. He also received his Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Sports Management in Spring 2020. A former baseball player (1990-91) he was inducted into the LMU Athlete's Hall of Fame in October 2019.
Mike and his wife, K.J. (Director of Spirit Programs) have two children, Brandon, a graduate assistant in athletic communications, and Mary-Kate, a current student at LMU. They reside in Harrogate.
