Mike Harrity, Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, has announced the hiring of Hillary Smith as head coach of the Dartmouth softball program.
"We looked for a coach who would help our student-athletes reach their full potential as people and as athletes and has a clear vision and plan for building a program that lasts, and we have found that in Hillary," Harrity said. "Those who have worked closely with her spoke consistently about her heart, drive, and passion for teaching the game. We are excited to welcome Hillary and her family to Hanover."
Smith arrives in Hanover with 14 years of NCAA Division I experience, including eight years as a head coach. Most recently, she served as the head coach at Quinnipiac since 2018. She guided the program from the bottom of the conference standings in her first season to this past season, when she led the team to a program-record 16 regular season conference wins and its first overall winning record since 2012.
"From the moment I stepped on campus, I could feel that Dartmouth is a truly special place," Smith said. "The people, the sense of community, and the commitment to developing exceptional student-athletes made a lasting impression on me throughout the interview process. I would like to thank Mike Harrity and Taurian Houston for their trust and belief in my vision for Dartmouth Softball. My family and I are incredibly excited to join the Big Green community. I look forward to building upon the foundation already in place and working with an outstanding group of student-athletes. The future is bright, and I cannot wait to get started."
Prior to her tenure at Quinnipiac, Smith served as an assistant coach at Florida International University (FIU) from 2016-2018, where she was a member of a coaching staff that posted a program record 46-win season, earned a NCAA Regional appearance, and helped lead one of the most successful seasons in program history. As an assistant coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF) from 2012-2016, Smith contributed to one of the most successful periods in UCF softball history, marked by back-to-back conference regular season championships, a conference tournament championship, NCAA Tournament appearances, back-to-back conference Coaching Staff of the Year honors, and the program record 50-win season.
Smith has helped develop All-Conference honorees at every stop of her career, including a Conference Freshman of the Year, a National Player of the Year Watch List honoree, and two First Team All-Conference selections in her most recent season. Off the field, her student-athletes have earned 82 Conference All-Academic honors collectively during her tenure as a head coach, including a league-leading 17 honorees in 2025.
As a student-athlete at UCF, Smith was a standout infielder, helping the Knights win a conference championship and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Her offensive production from her playing days remains among the program's top ten all-time in several offensive categories.
"Coach Hillary Smith has had a tremendous impact on my life, first as my coach and later as a mentor throughout my coaching career," said Shannon Saile, former FIU student-athlete and UCF assistant coach. "As a player, she challenged me to reach my full potential and gave me the confidence to compete at the highest level. I'm incredibly grateful for her influence, and I know Dartmouth is gaining an outstanding leader who will make a lasting impact on everyone around her."
Smith graduated from UCF with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in digital media, and is in the process of earning a Master of Science in Public Relations from Quinnipiac University.
Elevate Talent led the search.
