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Hersey Headshot

Lynn Hersey

Lynn Hersey, the 2024 and 2025 D3hoops.com National Coach of the Year and 2023 WBCA National Coach of the Year begins her 19th season as head coach of the basketball team in 2025.  

The program’s all-time leader in wins (332), Hersey has developed the Bears into a national powerhouse during her tenure as Smith advanced to back-to-back National Championship game in 2024 and 2025. Hersey’s teams have qualified for the postseason 14 times with her at the helm.


At Smith

  • 7x NCAA Tournament Appearances (2013, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • 2024 and 2025 National Runner Up
  • 2023 NCAA Final Four
  • 5x NCAA Sweet 16 appearances
  • 5x NEWMAC Championships (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • School record 31 wins in 2024-25
  • Three 30-win seasons (2022-2025)
  • 20-6 record in the NCAA Tournament
  • Coached 2023 WBCA National Player of the Year (Morgan Morrison)
  • 4 NEWMAC Athlete of the Year selections
  • 17 NEWMAC All-Conference First Team selections

Awards & Honors

  • 2024 and 2025 D3hoops.com National Coach of the Year
  • 2023 WBCA National Coach of the Year
  • 3x WBCA Coach of the Year Finalist (2023, 2024, 2025)
  • 5x NEWMAC Coach of the Year (2012, 2013, 2018, 2022, 2023)
  • D3hoops.com Region 2 Coach of the Year (2022)
  • 2x NEWBA Coach of the Year (2022, 2023)

Coaching Experience

  • Head Basketball Coach - Smith College (2008-present)
  • Co-Head Basketball Coach - Amherst College (2005-07
  • Assistant Basketball Coach - Amherst College (2001- 2005)
Education
  • Bachelor's Degree - Physical Education - Plymouth State University (2000)
  • Master's Degree - Sports Management - UMass Amherst (2003)

Coaching Tree
  • Kat Puda '23 - Smith College Assistant Coach
  • Devon Quattrocchi '18 - Brown University Director of Basketball Operations
  • Jill Pace '14 - Former Tufts University Women’s Basketball Head Coach
  • Chessie Jackson '13 - TCNJ Head Coach
  • Samantha Norris '12 - Southern Maine Head Coach
 
Year School Record Conference Record Notable
2006-07 Amherst 12-13 3-6 NESCAC Quarterfinals
2007-08 Smith 5-18 3-10
2008-09 Smith 9-15 3-10
2009-10 Smith 14-10 11-7 NEWMAC Quarterfinals
2010-11 Smith 17-11 12-6 NEWMAC Tournament Runner-up;
ECAC New England Quarterfinals
2011-12 Smith 23-6 14-4 NEWMAC Tournament Runner-up; ECAC New England Champions;
NEWMAC Coach of the Year
2012-13 Smith 23-5 16-2 NCAA 2nd Round; NEWMAC Coach of the Year;
NEWBA Coach of the Year; Tied school record for wins
2013-14 Smith 18-12 15-5 NEWMAC Regular Season Champions; NEWMAC Tournamwnt Runner-up
ECAC New England Runner-up
2014-15 Smith 10-15 6-10
2015-16 Smith 11-15 7-9 NEWMAC Quarterfinals
2016-17 Smith 18-9 9-7 NEWMAC Semifinals
2017-18 Smith 20-6 13-3 Co-Regular Season Champions
NEWMAC Semifinals
NEWMAC Coach of the Year
2018-19 Smith 22-7 13-3 NEWMAC Semifinals
NCAA 2nd Round
2019-20 Smith 26-4 7-3 NEWMAC Champions
NCAA Sweet 16* 
*Season ended due to COVID-19
2020-21 Smith 0-0 0-0 COVID-19 - Did not compete
2021-22 Smith 25-3 9-0 NEWMAC Champions
NCAA Sweet 16
2022-23 Smith 30-2 10-0 NEWMAC Champions
Northampton Sectional Champions
NCAA Semifinalist
WBCA National Coach of the Year
2023-24 Smith 30-4 10-1 NEWMAC Champions
Brunswick Sectional Champions
NCAA Runner-Up
D3hoops.com National Coach of the Year
2024-25 Smith 31-3 11-0 NEWMAC Champions
Brunswick Sectional Champions
NCAA Runner-Up
D3hoops.com National Coach of the Year
Smith Totals 332-145 (.679) 169-80 (.664)
Career Totals 344-158 (.669) 173-86 (.653)

 
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