Michele Rodriguez-Smith enters her third season as an assistant coach with the Tribe women’s soccer program. Rodriguez-Smith has coached 14 years in the college ranks, including two seasons as the head coach at George Washington University.
W&M moved its in NCAA record of winning seasons to 34 with a 12-6-1 campaign in 2014, earning the four seed in the CAA Tournament. The Tribe advanced to the CAA Semifinals, where they fell to eventual CAA champion Northeastern. Under the help of Rodriguez-Smith, six student-athletes earned all-conference honors, including senior Emory Camper, who was named to the NSCAA All-Region team, and the VaSID all-state team.
In her first season with the Tribe, Rodriguez-Smith helped guide the Tribe to its NCAA record 33rd straight winning season. The Tribe posted an 8-2-7 record, advancing to the semifinals of the CAA Tournament. Under her tutelage, seven players garnered all-conference awards, including Emory Camper and Caroline Casey, who were named the All-CAA First-Team.
Over the last four years, Rodriguez-Smith served as an Elite Club National League Coach with the Freestate Soccer Alliance in Bowie, Md. She served as the head coach of the ’98 Girls ECNL Team, which was ranked No. 3 in Maryland and won the 2012 Bethesda Conference A Flight Championship. Rodriguez-Smith was an assistant coach for the ’95 Girls ECNL team, which was a two-year national finalist, ranked No. 1 in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Conference as well as No. 4 in the country. She also worked as an assistant coach with ’94 Girls ECNL team and U11 Girls VCCL team with the Freestate Soccer Alliance.
Rodriguez-Smith spent four seasons as the top assistant coach at the University of Georgia from 2001-04. The Bulldogs advanced to a pair of NCAA Tournaments, posting a 38-36-7 record over her four seasons. Georgia appeared in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament on three occasions (2001, 2002 and 2003), and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both 2001 and 2003. The Bulldogs posted a 13-6-1 mark overall, including a 7-2 mark in the SEC, in 2001. During the 2003 season, UGA posted 13 wins as well and downed No. 20 Clemson in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Nine players earned All-SEC honors, six received all-region accolades and two were selected as freshman All-Americans over her four seasons in Athens.
During her time at Georgia, Rodriguez-Smith had success on the recruiting trail. The Bulldogs’ 2001 recruiting class was ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 4 in the Southeast Region by Soccer Buzz, while the 2003 recruiting class was rated No. 21 nationally and No. 5 in the Southeast Region. She also worked with budgeting, team travel, player development, scouting, scheduling and academics during her tenure at Georgia. Under her supervision, UGA produced two NSCAA Academic All-Americans, 28 players were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll Team and the team ranked tops among Georgia Varsity Team Sports with a GPA of 3.23.
Prior to her time in the SEC, Rodriguez-Smith spent six seasons at George Washington University, including two as the Colonials head coach. During her four seasons as an assistant coach, GW posted a 40-30-7 mark overall, advancing to the Atlantic 10 Tournament all four seasons. The Colonials posted a 10-7-4 record, including a 6-0-2 ledger in A10 play, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1996. During her first season as George Washington’s head coach in 1998, the Colonials finished at 11-10 overall and 9-2 in the A10, advancing to the league tournament. In total, 22 GW student athletes earned All-Atlantic 10 honors, including the 1996 A10 Player of the Year and the A10 Rookies of the Year in 1994 and 1995.
Rodriguez-Smith first collegiate coaching experience came as an assistant coach at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Md., from 1991-94. Her resume also includes stints as the Maryland Olympic Development Program (ODP) head coach (2010-13), the Georgia ODP head coach (2003-04) and the USYSA Region I Coach (2012-13). Over her career, Rodriguez-Smith possesses 15 years experience working in the youth soccer ranks. She played collegiately at Maryland and earned her degree in behavioral and social sciences.
She and her husband, Jeff, reside in Williamsburg with their son, Connor.
