Northeastern University Women's Basketball

Smith will be entering his second season with the Huskies in the 2025-26 academic year.  Smith joined Edwards-Lloyd's staff in August 2024, and brings a decades worth of experience in player development to Huntington Ave. Prior to Northeastern, Smith has placed his coaching and training prowess on display at a high level, serving as CEO & Lead Skills Trainer for Sticks Skills Training. At his training sessions, athletes were focused on learning the proper fundamentals and concepts in all facets of the game. Whether it was ball handling, shooting, passing, rebounding or defending, all instructions and skills were taught with heavy emphasis on the proper mechanics and footwork. Prior to Sticks Skills Training, Smith was an Assistant Coach at St. Francis College (2018-19) and Rider University from 2015-18. With the Broncs in 2017-18, three rider players garnered All-MAAC recognition. Stella Johnson and Kamila Hoskova were named Second Team All-MAAC and freshman Jaiden Morris landed on the MAAC All-Rookie Team. Smith was also responsible for the cultivation of Robin Perkins as the university’s first-ever conference Player of the Year.   In 2016-17 at Rider, the women’s basketball team won 24 games, the most victories by the Broncs under Head Coach Lynn Milligan, and most for the program since the team won 26 games during the 1981-82 season. The team finished above .500 in conference play for the third time since entering the league and the No. 2 seed is the best for Rider since joining the MAAC as well.   Smith came to Lawrenceville from the University of Maine, where he spent two seasons as assistant coach, under current Maine and former Princeton University head coach Richard Barron. In his last season at Maine, the Black Bears went 23-9, 14-2 in the America East, advancing to the WNIT after reaching the AE semifinals.  Maine won 17 games in 2013-14 and advanced to the second round of the Women's Basketball Invitational.   Prior to joining the Black Bears, Smith was the lead skills trainer with Peach State Basketball since 2009. While with Peach State Basketball, Smith coordinated all individual skill developments during EBA camps and showcases.  From Mount Holly in South Jersey, Smith served as an individual trainer to over 100 athletes nationwide through Peach State and later expanded his roll by starting his own skill development company "ATG Hoops" in the New Jersey area where he trained players up and down the eastern seaboard.  Smith's company hosted four showcase events annually including the ATG showcase which drew players from seven states.   Smith served as a counselor for numerous basketball camps and clinics including Gannon Baker's Nike Elite camp at Georgia Southern University as well as the Princeton University camp for Barron and John Thompson III.   Smith was an assistant under Clint Bryant at Augusta State University.  While at Augusta State, he assisted the recruiting coordinator in all aspects of recruitment.    As a freshman at ASU in 2000-01, Smith helped the team advance to the NCAA tournament after being crowned conference tournament champions for the first time in school history. Smith also served as assistant camp director for the Clint Bryant basketball camp while at Augusta State.   One of Smith's early coaching jobs was head junior varsity boys and assistant Varsity boys coach at Rancocas Valley Regional High School.  Smith built a JV program that compiled a record of 35-5 over two seasons, including a perfect 19-0 run in 2012-13.  At RV, Smith helped guide the varsity program to a 24-2 regular season mark and the school's first conference title in five years.   Smith graduated from Rutgers University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He also earned his master’s degree in athletic leadership in 2018 at Rider.    

Wilfredo de Jesus enters his ninth season as Assistant Coach after joining the Huskies for the 2018-2019 season. Coaching Career: Assistant Coach of men's and women's throws Coached his athletes to three CAA Gold Medal finishes Has been a part of three CAA Men's Track and Field Championship wins Coached Erica Belvit to a first-place finish in the hammer throw at the 2021 IC4A/ECAC Championships Has had five different athletes qualify for the NCAA East Preliminaries Coached Erica Belvit to multiple record-breaking performances during the 2020-2021 season Assistant Coach of men's and women's throws at Yale University Assistant Coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy Athletic Career: Four time letterwinner at the University of Albany (2007-2011) Five time America East Champion (Indoor: 2009, 2010, 2011 & Outdoor: 2009, 2011) 2011 Indoor and Outdoor IC4A Champion Holds the University of Albany school record in the hammer throw (64.39m/211-3) Competed for Puerto Rico at the Central American, Caribbean and Pan American games Held the Junior Nationals record in the hammer throw (63.15m) and currently holds the senior weight throw record (20.70m) Named 2007 National Athlete of the Year for his Bronze Medal performance at the Pan American game (Puerto Rico's first medal in the event)

Hamza Abdul is in his seventh season with the Huskies and fourth as Director of Operations for the track and field and cross country programs. In addition to his operational duties, Abdul coaches the long jump and triple jump and assists with the short sprints group. Prior to being named Director of Operations, Abdul served as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons (2019, 2021), contributing to the program's development and competitive success. Before joining Northeastern, he coached at Bridgewater State University from 2018-2019, where he continued to expand his expertise across multiple event groups. Abdul's coaching career began at his alma mater, UMass Boston, where he coached from 2015-2018 and earned the 2017 USTFCCCA New England Women's Assistant Coach of the Year award. The honor recognized his exceptional work developing athletes and building competitive programs during his time on the harbor campus. As a student-athlete at UMass Boston, Abdul was a two-time team captain (2013-14) and competed in the long jump and triple jump. His leadership and competitive experience as a jumper laid the foundation for a coaching career defined by technical precision and a commitment to developing complete student-athletes. A native of Chelsea, Massachusetts, Abdul graduated from UMass Boston.