University of Massachusets Athletics
Kyle Smith Returns To Massachusetts Lacrosse As An Assistant Coach
August 25, 2021 | Men's Lacrosse
The former standout attack for the Minutemen previously coached at Merrimack for seven years, helping the Warriors to two Division II National Championships.
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts men's lacrosse has added former standout attack Kyle Smith '14 to its staff as an assistant coach, head coach Greg Cannella announced on Wednesday. Smith returns to his alma mater following a seven-year stint with Merrimack men's lacrosse, where he helped the Warriors to two national titles at the Division II level.
"I am happy and proud to have Kyle return to his program here at UMass," said Cannella. "Kyle is an outstanding person, mentor, and coach. Kyle has been part of tremendous success at Merrimack College, winning two National Championships, while developing some terrific players. Everyone here at UMass and UMass lacrosse will benefit from his return."
"It meant the world for Coach Cannella to give me an opportunity to play here when I was coming out of high school, said Smith. "Him giving me an opportunity to come back here and coach probably means more. I'm really excited to be home and looking forward to getting started. I'd like to thank Ryan Bamford, Jeff Smith and Craig McDonald for all the help."
Smith served as an assistant coach for the Warriors from 2014-2019 before being promoted to associate head coach in August 2019, helping the program transition from Division II to Division I.
In Merrimack's two seasons at the Division I level, Smith coached two all-conference freshman team selections, one first-team all-conference honoree and one second-team all-conference player and helped guide the Warriors to a .500 record in just their second season of DI lacrosse.
In five years as a Division II assistant coach, Smith was a part of the most successful era of Merrimack Lacrosse in program history as the squad advanced to the Final Four in both 2015 and 2016 before reaching the title game in 2017 followed by back-to-back National Championships in 2018 and 2019. The Warriors enjoyed unprecedented offensive success during that stretch with the help of Smith's guidance, consistently ranking among the nation's leaders in scoring offense and EMO statistics. In addition to the pair of national titles, Merrimack also won a Northeast 10 Conference Tournament title in 2018, were Co-Northeast 10 Regular Season Champions in 2019 and were five-time New England Champions (2015-19) during Smith's tenure.
At Merrimack, Smith coached 28 All-American selections, 41 All NE-10 selections, 48 All-NEILA selections, 4 NEILA Player of the Year recipients, nine First Team All-Americans, two DII Player of the Year honorees, one DII Midfielder of the Year, one DII Defensemen of the Year, two DII Attackman of the Year honorees, one DII Faceoff Specialist of the Year, one DII Short Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year, one DII Longstick Midfielder of the Year, two NE-10 Players of the Year, two NE-10 Defensive Players of the Year, two NE-10 Rookies of the Year and two NCAA Championship Game MVPs. He also mentored eight MLL Supplemental Draft picks and 1 MLL and PLL collegiate draftee.
The Warriors posted a record of 78-14 in Smith's five Division II seasons at Merrimack, including an 11-3 mark in NCAA Tournament play.
During his career at UMass, Smith was a three-year starting attack over his four seasons (2010-13) with the Minutemen, earned an All-CAA Second Team recognition in 2013 and a CAA All-Tournament team nod in 2012 after helping UMass to the Colonial Athletic Association title and an NCAA Tournament berth. Over his four seasons with the Minutemen, Smith compiled 125 points on 79 goals and 46 assists to go along with 69 groundballs and 24 caused turnovers. He had 17 extra-man goals and nine game winters to his credit with 31 multi-point games in 60 career appearances, including 17 multi-goal games and a dozen hat tricks. Son of the late UMass Hall of Fame member Norm Smith '79, Kyle is part of the first father-and-son Minuteman duo to join the program's 100-point list.
Upon graduating from UMass, Smith played professionally for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse from 2013-15. He earned his undergraduate degree in hospitality and tourism management from the Isenberg School of Management in 2014 and went on to receive his Masters from Northeastern in sports leadership in 2016.
"I am happy and proud to have Kyle return to his program here at UMass," said Cannella. "Kyle is an outstanding person, mentor, and coach. Kyle has been part of tremendous success at Merrimack College, winning two National Championships, while developing some terrific players. Everyone here at UMass and UMass lacrosse will benefit from his return."
"It meant the world for Coach Cannella to give me an opportunity to play here when I was coming out of high school, said Smith. "Him giving me an opportunity to come back here and coach probably means more. I'm really excited to be home and looking forward to getting started. I'd like to thank Ryan Bamford, Jeff Smith and Craig McDonald for all the help."
Smith served as an assistant coach for the Warriors from 2014-2019 before being promoted to associate head coach in August 2019, helping the program transition from Division II to Division I.
In Merrimack's two seasons at the Division I level, Smith coached two all-conference freshman team selections, one first-team all-conference honoree and one second-team all-conference player and helped guide the Warriors to a .500 record in just their second season of DI lacrosse.
In five years as a Division II assistant coach, Smith was a part of the most successful era of Merrimack Lacrosse in program history as the squad advanced to the Final Four in both 2015 and 2016 before reaching the title game in 2017 followed by back-to-back National Championships in 2018 and 2019. The Warriors enjoyed unprecedented offensive success during that stretch with the help of Smith's guidance, consistently ranking among the nation's leaders in scoring offense and EMO statistics. In addition to the pair of national titles, Merrimack also won a Northeast 10 Conference Tournament title in 2018, were Co-Northeast 10 Regular Season Champions in 2019 and were five-time New England Champions (2015-19) during Smith's tenure.
At Merrimack, Smith coached 28 All-American selections, 41 All NE-10 selections, 48 All-NEILA selections, 4 NEILA Player of the Year recipients, nine First Team All-Americans, two DII Player of the Year honorees, one DII Midfielder of the Year, one DII Defensemen of the Year, two DII Attackman of the Year honorees, one DII Faceoff Specialist of the Year, one DII Short Stick Defensive Midfielder of the Year, one DII Longstick Midfielder of the Year, two NE-10 Players of the Year, two NE-10 Defensive Players of the Year, two NE-10 Rookies of the Year and two NCAA Championship Game MVPs. He also mentored eight MLL Supplemental Draft picks and 1 MLL and PLL collegiate draftee.
The Warriors posted a record of 78-14 in Smith's five Division II seasons at Merrimack, including an 11-3 mark in NCAA Tournament play.
During his career at UMass, Smith was a three-year starting attack over his four seasons (2010-13) with the Minutemen, earned an All-CAA Second Team recognition in 2013 and a CAA All-Tournament team nod in 2012 after helping UMass to the Colonial Athletic Association title and an NCAA Tournament berth. Over his four seasons with the Minutemen, Smith compiled 125 points on 79 goals and 46 assists to go along with 69 groundballs and 24 caused turnovers. He had 17 extra-man goals and nine game winters to his credit with 31 multi-point games in 60 career appearances, including 17 multi-goal games and a dozen hat tricks. Son of the late UMass Hall of Fame member Norm Smith '79, Kyle is part of the first father-and-son Minuteman duo to join the program's 100-point list.
Upon graduating from UMass, Smith played professionally for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse from 2013-15. He earned his undergraduate degree in hospitality and tourism management from the Isenberg School of Management in 2014 and went on to receive his Masters from Northeastern in sports leadership in 2016.
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