Robert Smith was announced as the new head coach of the men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs at Long Island University in Brooklyn on Tuesday, joining the Sharks after a six-year run as the head coach at Adelphi University.
“We are excited to welcome Robert Smith to the Shark family,” LIU Athletics Director Dr. William E. Martinov said. “Coach Smith has a demonstrated record of success leading swimming and diving programs, knows the area, and knows what it takes to compete at the Division I level as a decorated swimmer himself. We are excited to have him join Shark nation!”
Smith takes over for former head coach Matt Donovan, who was hired as the new head coach of UMBC back in late March. Donovan was the head coach of the LIU women’s team since the fall of 2016, and took over as the men’s coach when the program was adopted in May 2020.
Assistant Jackie Whitty was the acting head coach from the time Donovan departed until Smith’s hire.
Smith served as the head coach of Adelphi men’s and women’s programs for six seasons, beginning in 2015-16, leading them 26 new school records, 20 NEC-10 weekly honorees and under his watch the team earned 12 straight CSCAA Scholar All-America team honors.
“I am extremely honored to share in the excellence of the LIU Swim and Dive program,” Smith said. I look forward to continuing the outstanding legacy the Sharks have built. With the steadfast support of the University and the athletic department, I am excited to take this team to the top of the Northeast Conference and cultivate an unforgettable experience for the student-athletes. Fins up!”
Prior to joining Adelphi, Smith spent time as both a swim and strength coach at Islanders Aquatics in Sayville, N.Y. and Professional Athletic Performance Center here in Garden City. At Islanders Aquatics he was the assistant coach of the national group, with his main duties geared towards technique work, sprint workouts and race strategy while also overseeing dryland workouts.
An accomplished collegiate swimmer, Smith is a seven-time Metropolitan Masters Record Holder, and was also a 2014 USLA National Champion. He swam four years at the University of Pittsburgh where he was a team captain and six-time Big East Championship finalist.
A native of Copiague, New York, Smith graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in psychology in 2011.
Last season, the LIU women placed third at the NEC Conference Championships, while the men’s team took second in its first-ever season.
Good luck with that hire. He basically drove that Adelphi program into the ground and caused a slew of swimmers to leave. They will see in due time.
Great dude!
Could you imagine this kind of scene in his interview?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kaE5N1M7KG8
I don’t care if Butterfly’s blue,
Backstroke’s grey and Breaststroke too,
Freestyle, I don’t care about you,
It’s I.M., I’m in love.
Didn’t know The Cure’s lead singer was a swim fan! Sweet!
Didn’t realize The Cure front-man also coached swimming.