Jessie Ruffner begins her first year as an assistant coach with the Smith College basketball team in 2026.
A native of Rocklin, Calif., Ruffner was a 2024 WBCA and D3hoops.com All-American selection, as well as the D3hoops.com Region 2 Player of the Year. She was also the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year for the 2023-2024 season, leading Smith to its fourth straight NEWMAC Championship. She helped the Bears reach the NCAA National Championship game as a senior and a Final Four appearance as a junior. Ruffner is a two-time All-Conference first team selection while being named the NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2020, 2023, and 2024. She ranks fourth all-time in scoring with 1,403 points and is the only player in program history with 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, and 400 assists.
Prior to Smith, Ruffner spent time as a math teacher and assistant boys basketball coach at Suffield Academy. In 2023, she spent her summer as a finance intern with the Milwaukee Bucks. She graduated from Smith in 2024 with a degree in mathematical sciences.
