Bio

Bill Smith enters his 17th year at Bryant University.  In November of 2022 Smith was promoted to Vice President Athletics & Recreation.  

Under his leadership, Bryant Athletics has achieved extraordinary academic and competitive success while generating record-setting revenues and building some of the best athletics facilities in New England. Starting in 22-23, Smith is guiding the Black and Gold into the America East, Big South (football only), Southland (M/W Tennis, M/W Golf) and East Coast Conference (Bowling only). 

The change in conferences comes in conjunction with the addition of three female varsity sports for the 22-23 academic year. It marks the first time since 2005 that Bryant has added sports and it will give the Bulldogs 25 varsity sports. In addition, Bryant is also elevating the Bryant Pep Band to a marching band. 

Recipient of the NACDA Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year in 2017-18, Smith represents Bryant on the national stage as a member of the Infractions Process Committee, one of only two committees that reports directly to the Board of Governors of the NCAA. Smith has also served as the President of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) and was a member of the FCS Football Championship Selection Committee. 

At Bryant, Smith has established a philosophy designed to take Bulldog Athletics to the next level in every facet of collegiate athletics. He reorganized the administrative team to develop the Bryant athletics department into a group of highly-skilled, caring professionals who work hard each day to continually improve the student-athlete experience.

In September of 2012, Smith led Bryant Athletics into a new era, elevating the Bulldogs into the Division I ranks and full membership in the Northeast Conference. Bryant spent 10 years as full members of the NEC (2012-13 - 2021-22).

Competitively under Smith, the Bulldogs were quick to find success in DI, winning back-to-back NEC Commissioner’s Cups in 2014 and 2015. A symbol of broad-based athletic excellence within the NEC, the Commissioner’s Cup is awarded to the school with the highest point total based on regular-season and conference championship finishes. The Bulldogs claimed six championships in the spring of 2014 alone, setting an NEC record while earning the second-highest point total ever on the men’s side. In 2015, the Bulldogs won four titles in the spring and had seven sports finish in the top three of the NEC standings. Between 2013 and 2021, Bryant captured six consecutive NEC Men's Commissioner's Cup trophies.

Since arriving in Smithfield, Smith has guided the Bulldogs to 31 regular-season titles, 28 tournament titles and four Commissioner’s Cups within both the NEC and Bryant’s previous home in the Northeast-10. In the department’s third year of DI eligibility in 2014-15, Smith saw 15 of 22 sport programs qualify for their respective conference postseasons, while six captured NEC titles.

In 2017-18 women's swimming and diving claimed it's first-ever NEC Championship, while men's tennis claimed its fifth-straight NEC Tournament title. Women's lacrosse won its fifth-straight regular-season title, baseball claimed its seventh-straight regular-season title and volleyball posted its first NEC Regular-Season title.  

Also highlighting the Bulldogs’ success under Smith, Bryant baseball secured the school’s first-ever DI NCAA tournament victory with a 2013 win over Arkansas, while men’s lacrosse advanced to the 2014 NCAA Quarterfinals after shocking second-seeded Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. Since joining the Division I ranks, the Bulldogs have enjoyed 478 all-conference selections and 46 NEC Regular-Season and Tournament Championships. Thirty-seven different Bulldogs have been named All-Americans, while Bryant has also seen 40 of its own drafted or signed into the professional ranks since 2009 (MLB, NFL, MLL, NLL).

With Smith’s guidance, the Bulldogs have also stepped up their game in the classroom.  Bryant student-athletes posted the highest-ever semester GPA of 3.41 in 2021, surpassing the average GPA of the student body.  Approximately 40 percent earned Dean’s List honors (3.4 or above), 79 student-athletes achieved perfect 4.0 semester GPAs over the 2020-21 academic year, while Bryant boasts a 95 percent GSR to complement nearly 2,000 NEC and MAAC Academic Honor Roll selections since 2011. The Bulldogs have also led the NEC in APR Public Recognitions and GSR in each of the last seven years. In fact, eight Bulldog teams received perfect 100 GSR scores in the most recent numbers released. That number leads the NEC. 

In 2006, Smith rebranded the Black & Gold Club and implemented incentives and giving levels that have resulted in an increase of annual giving from $28,000 to over $900,000 each year. Annual donors have grown by more than 300 percent under Smith, with corporate sponsorships rising to more than $300,000 each year. Smith also developed Bryant’s first-ever licensing program, partnering with Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) to expand Bryant University's brand.   

Since his arrival, Smith has also overseen a major transformation in Bryant’s athletics facilities.

With the University’s Bryant Builds campaign now completed, Smith was responsible for the construction of three state-of-the-art athletics facilities that will give student-athletes the best facilities in New England in which to train. The construction of the 10,000-square-foot Bulldog Strength and Conditioning Center, completed in August 2015, provides student-athletes with a first-class facility in which to become bigger, faster and stronger. The new 78,000-square-foot Conaty Indoor Athletic Center – which holds a full 100-yard turf field – became the first of its kind among DI private institutions in New England when it was completed in May 2016. Bulldogs are also benefiting from an updated and expanded 10,000-square foot sports medicine and athletic training center that opened in February 2016, while a second floor to this addition houses a new football suite and additional office space. The summer of 2015 also saw a full replacement to both the track and turf field.

In the summer of 2011, Smith oversaw the building of Conaty Park, which provided new press boxes and grandstands behind home plate for both the baseball and softball programs.

In 2008, he oversaw the construction of new locker rooms for football, field hockey, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse and women’s soccer while renovating the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms. Bulldog student-athletes now enjoy some of the nicest locker rooms in Division I.

Additional renovations have included a remodel of the Bulldog Room for hospitality and meeting space, as well three new classrooms dedicated to serve as study tables for Bryant’s student-athletes.

Smith was named Director of Athletics at Bryant University on April 10, 2006.

A former Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sport Administration at Iowa State University, Smith spent eight years in Ames, Iowa, where he joined the Cyclones as compliance director in 1998 before being promoted to associate athletic director in 2002 and senior associate athletic director in 2005.

At Iowa State, Smith managed oversight responsibilities for facilities, event management, licensing, compliance, academic services, sports medicine, athletic training and strength and conditioning. He also oversaw several sport programs, including football, men's basketball, wrestling, swimming and diving and golf. During his tenure, ISU completed more than $11 million dollars in building and renovation while increasing licensing revenue and achieving an 89 percent graduation rate for student-athletes who exhausted eligibility. Smith helped guide the Cyclones to new heights in his time in Ames, including four bowl selections and national top-20 rankings for gymnastics, wrestling, football, women's indoor track, and men's and women's basketball.

Prior to joining the Iowa State staff, Smith served as executive associate director for compliance and championships at the Patriot League for one year. In that role, he managed 19 conference championships, was the conference's primary liaison with all coaches groups, and directed league-wide compliance education programs.

A native of Auburn, N.Y., Smith graduated from Colgate University in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in political science. During his time at Colgate, Smith played both football and lacrosse from 1985-89. He was awarded the Tom Dodge Award in 1989 for exemplifying outstanding effort, determination and performance in the sport of football. 

Smith earned his law degree from Quinnipiac College of Law in 1995 and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1996. Smith and his wife Maura have four children, Molly, Liam, Daniel and Marin.

Bill Smith Timeline

> Participated in football and lacrosse at Colgate from 1985 to 1989
> 1990 graduate of Colgate University
> Assistant Football Coach at Wagner College, 1990-92
> 1995 graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law
> Student-Athlete Advisor / Compliance Coordinator at Wagner College, 1995-97
> Executive Director of Compliance and Championships at Patriot League, 1997-98
> Compliance Director at Iowa State, 1998-2002
> Associate Athletic Director at Iowa State, 2002-05
> Senior Associate Athletic Director at Iowa State, 2005 to May 2006
> Bryant University Director of Athletics, June 2006