After serving on the coaching staff for the three-time NCAA champion Clarkson, Britni Smith is taking the reins of the Syracuse program.
Smith is just the second coach for Syracuse, taking over for Paul Flanagan, who retired following the 2021-22 season.
A 2010 graduate of St. Lawrence, Smith was an assistant at Clarkson for eight years and has served in a number of coaching roles with Hockey Canada since 2014. She was a top-10 finalist for the 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as a defenseman at St. Lawrence.
“Britni is a highly regarded coach who is a proven recruiter and has experience as an assistant coach for two national championship teams and as a coach with Hockey Canada,” said Syracuse director of athletics John Wildhack in a statement. “She is incredibly detailed and prepared and has excellent communication skills. Britni is a rising star in the coaching profession. We are excited to have her lead our program.”
“I am extremely honored and proud to be named the next women’s hockey coach at Syracuse University,” Smith added. “I want to thank director of athletics John Wildhack, senior associate athletic director Jamie Mullin and the rest of the search committee for this opportunity. I look forward to extending the recent successes of the women’s hockey program and continuing to foster a culture of excellence. I am excited to get started and to continue building something special at Syracuse University.”
As part of the Hockey Canada staff, Smith was an assistant coach for the national women’s U-18 team in 2016 and 2020, helping to guide both teams to an IIHF World Championship silver medal finish, the National Women’s Development Team in 2018-19, and the National Women’s Development Camp in 2014.
Smith started her coaching career as a top assistant coach at the University of Toronto (2012-14), prior to going to Clarkson for the 2014-15 season.
As a standout student-athlete at St. Lawrence, Smith played in 146 games, recording 74 points on 20 goals and 54 assists from the blueline from 2006 to 2010. During her senior campaign, she tallied the third-most points in the country by a defenseman, posting eight goals and 17 assists. She earned all-ECAC Hockey second team honors in her junior and senior years and was a three-time conference all-academic team member.
Smith played professionally in the CWHL for the Toronto Furies from 2010 to 2014, serving as captain for the 2014 CWHL champions. She also played for Hockey Canada’s U-22 National Team from 2006-10.
She earned a degree in psychology with a minor in sports and exercise science at St. Lawrence, where she played for two seasons for former Flanagan, who came to Syracuse to start the Orange program in 2008-09.
