Smith College Athletics

Adrien Ricci begins her third season as the head coach of the Smith track & field team in 2020. 

Education

• B.A., Business Administration and Professional Communication, Elmhust College (2003)

• M.S., Exercise and Sport Studies, Smith College (2007)

Coaching Experience 

• Head Coach, Smith College (2018-present)

• Director of Boys and Girls Cross Country and Track & Field programs, Poly Prep Country Day School (2009-2018)

• Assistant Coach, Lewis University (2007-2009)

• Graduate Assistant, Smith College (2005-2007)

At Smith

• 2018-19

  • In her first year at the helm of Smith’s track & field program, Ricci coached Senior Katy McClellan to All-America honors. For the entire season, McClellan was nationally ranked in the top-10 in javelin. 

  • At the NCAA DIII Track & Field National Championships, McClellan’s national rank held true as she finished fifth overall in javelin. Two weeks prior, McClellan also competed in the New England DIII Championships where she finished first overall by over five-feet in javelin. 

  • Ricci also coached an impressive first-year jumper in Wassila Yussif who set a new school record in the triple jump (10.92 meters) at the New England Division III Track & Field Championships. 

Playing Career
At Elmhurst, , Ricci was a three-time NCAA DIII All-American in cross country and a four-year letter winning of both Elmhurt College’s cross country and track & field teams. As a standout runner for both the cross country and track & field teams, Ricci holds the school record for the 10,000-meter run and was a member of the school’s record-setting 4x mile relay team. Her impressive abilities led her to qualifying seven times for the DIII National Championships and honored her as both a 13-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin All-Conference member and two-time cross country Midwest All-Region member. 

Prior to Smith
Ricci has accumulated over ten years of coaching experience before starting her stint as Head Coach of the track & field program at Smith College. After graduating from Elmhurst in 2003, Ricci worked in the Admission Office as an Admission Counselor at Elmhurst College after before going to get her Master’s at Smith College. She completed Smith’s Exercise and Sport Studies program where she coached under the guidance of Smith’s cross country head coach, Ellen O’Neil. Ricci assisted in all aspects of the cross country and  track programs. She coached seven distance athletes to All-NEWMAC status, including one who was a two-time national qualifier in cross country and once in the 3000-meter steeplechase in outdoor track. After completing her degree, Ricci moved on to become an Assistant Coach at Lewis University. She mentored the cross country teams and middle and long distance events in track while also being involved in recruitment. From Lewis, Ricci became the Director of the Boys and Girls Cross Country and Track & Field programs at Poly Prep Country Day School where she would stay until coming to Smith. She was responsible for the planning, developing and coaching a three-season, 12-team upper and middle school program with over 210 competitive student-athletes. As an All-American, she understands what it takes to be recruited and compete at the next level, which is how she was able to implement a comprehensive recruiting plan for prospective student-athletes.