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Jackson chooses Smedley to lead Ags
LAWTON, Oklahoma (February 15) – The Cameron Athletic Department and Athletic Director Jim Jackson today announced the hiring of Brianne Smedley as head coach of the Aggie volleyball team. She replaces John Haroun who left the team after just one season for personal reasons. Smedley comes to Cameron from Berry College, an NAIA school in Mount Berry, Georgia, where she was the head coach of the Vikings.
“Brianne has everything we were looking for and is the right person for our volleyball program,” Jackson said. “She has experience as a head coach and has had success at a four-year institution. She has gained experience at the club, Division I, and Division II levels and has the demeanor and passion for the game. From a volleyball coaching standpoint she is technically sound and has a command of the game.”
Smedley coached the Vikings to an 82-37 record in her two seasons at the helm, including a 29-7 conference record. Last season her squad set a Berry College record for wins in a single season after going 35-9. The 2007 squad also achieved its first national ranking in school history.
“When I visited Cameron, everyone I met had really positive things to say about the school and the athletic program,” Smedley said. “I’m very excited to be coaching at Cameron. The (Lone Star) Conference is really strong and the opportunity to compete in the LSC and improve our standing is extremely exciting.”
Smedley began coaching in 2003 after competing for four years for the Mississippi State University Bulldog volleyball team. She graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, and stayed in Starkville, Mississippi, to attain her Master of Science degree in 2002, also in Physical Education.
During her collegiate career as a right side hitter and middle blocker, Smedley was named the team MVP in both 1999 and 2000, and was named to the All-SEC All-Conference Second team in 2000. She was also named the MVP of the Memphis Invitational and Air Force Invitational tournaments in 2000, and garnered All-Tournament honors at the MSU Invitational in both 1999 and 2000.
“She has proven that she can teach and transfer her skills as a player to her student-athletes,” Jackson said. “She was a very successful four-year letterman at MSU and she knows how to take her experience and transfer that to her players.”
After becoming a head coach Smedley continued to accumulate a number of awards and accolades. She was named the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Coach of the Year and the Region XIII Coach of the Year in 2005. She also coached the first Honorable Mention All-American and the first Third Team All-American in Berry College history.
Also at Berry, Smedley coached a total of eight First Team All-Conference players, four Second Team All-Conference players, seven All-Region players, and one Conference Freshman of the Year.
Upon Smedley’s acceptance of the position, Jackson was confident that Cameron had found the right person to bring stability back to the historic Aggie volleyball program.
“I think Brianne has made a commitment to us to take this program to a different level. Aggie volleyball is very well respected and has experienced success over many years,” Jackson said. “I believe Brianne is the right person to be here a while and add stability to the program. I think stability is the only thing that is lacking in order for us to take this program to the national level.”
Smedley echoed Jackson’s sentiments and looks forward to continuing Cameron’s tradition of winning.
“I know that recently Cameron’s program had seen some inconsistency and coaching changes,” Smedley said. “I am confident I will be able to get the program back on track and take it back to its winning traditions.”
Prior to Berry College, Smedley served as Assistant Coach at both Centenary College of Louisiana, a Division I program, and Saint Leo University (Florida), a Division II program.
“I’m really excited about bringing all of the ideas and concepts I have learned to the Aggie program,” Smedley said. “I can’t wait to get started to see what we can become.”
Smedley also has coached at a number of big name summer camps on the campuses of the University of Texas, the University of Florida, and the University of Tennessee, to name a few.
“What really caught my eye was Brianne’s vast array of experience and success at both the Division I and Division II levels,” Jackson said.
Smedley will begin her tenure at Cameron in early March. The Aggie volleyball team is scheduled to play exhibition tournaments at Texas Woman’s, Southwestern Oklahoma State, and West Texas A&M later this spring.
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