Southern Methodist University Women's Equestrian

Chase Graham enters his third season as head coach of SMU rowing (2025-26). In his last season, SMU made its debut in the ACC. The team finished in eighth at the ACC Rowing Championship after a successful lead up to the Championship. The run was highlighted by Second Varsity Eight making the ACC Grand Final. The 2v8 would finish in fourth place in the conference. Paige Horton was named third-team All-ACC. In his first season on the Hilltop, Graham led the Mustangs to an AAC title. They finished first at the AAC in the 2v4, 1v4 and 1v8. Eight Mustangs were selected to the all-conference team. The Mustangs qualified for the NCAA Championship. They won the "D" final in 1v4 and finished 21st in the country. Graham was named head rowing coach at SMU on July 5, 2023. Graham came to the Hilltop from Duke, where he served as associate head coach and recruiting director.   Graham joined the Duke staff in August of 2015 and served as an assistant coach with the Blue Devils for his first two seasons before being promoted to most recent role in June of 2017.   In 2023, Duke saw its best finish in program history, placing 14th at the NCAA Championships. In their four prior appearances, the Blue Devils finished 17th overall with 45 points in 2016, 16th with 47 points in 2019, 16th with 55 points in 2021 and 16th with 45 points in 2022. In 2022, Graham oversaw Duke's Second Varsity Eight boat, which shot out of the gate with a win in each of its first seven races of the season. That stretch included a three-race sweep at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invite, as well as victories over No. 4 Michigan and No. 9 Ohio State at the Big Ten/ACC Double Dual that garnered ACC Crew of the Week honors. The 2V8 went on to collect nine total first-place finishes during the spring campaign and earned bronze in the Grand Final of the ACC Championship at Clemson. That marked the third consecutive season that Graham guided the 2V8 to a spot on the ACC podium. At the NCAA Championships in Sarasota, Florida, the 2V8 advanced to the C Final for a third straight season, taking third with a time of 6:42.825. In 2021, Graham worked closely with Duke's 2V8 crew that took first place in five races throughout the spring season. The boat turned in a historic performance at the NCAA Championships, claiming first in the C Final with a time of 6:43.416. It marked the Duke program's third all-time victory in an NCAA C Final, two of which came in the 2V8 event. Graham played a key role in boosting Duke's recruiting prowess throughout the country, as some of the team's greatest contributors have been underclassmen in recent years. Namely, Amelia Shunk was named the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2019 after helping the varsity-4 boat win the first gold medal in program history at the conference championship meet, and later, a Megan Lee (first team) and Morgan Linsley (honorable mention) were named Pocock/CRCA All-Americans. In addition to attracting top talent from numerous regions in the U.S., Graham has also helped sell the program internationally, as recent signees include natives of England, New Zealand and Australia, among other countries. During the 2016-17 season, Graham oversaw the V4 and 2V4 boats, with the 2V4 being named the ACC Crew of the Week in March. His two units took first place at the season-opening Carolina Cup, and then headed to the Longhorn Invite, where the 2V4 outpaced Texas, Notre Dame and Iowa. Both boats also brought home titles at the Dale England Cup with the V4 finishing in 7:45.7 and the 2V4 in 8:01.3. Graham then led both crews to the ACC Championship Grand Final, with the V4 earning third place and the 2V4 claiming fourth. In 2015-16, his first season on the Duke staff, Graham helped the program earn its first NCAA Championships selection after winning silver at the ACC meet. For his efforts, he was part of the Duke coaching staff that received CRCA National Staff of the Year and Region III Staff of the Year accolades. The V4 boat captured the C Final at the NCAA Championships and took second at the ACC Championship Grand Final in 2015-16. The crew tallied the Blue Devils' lone win at the Pac-12 Challenge, as it downed UCLA with a time of 7:21.5, and also turned in a standout performance at the Dale England Cup with two victories Graham joined Duke after four years as the head junior girls coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, Connecticut. With Saugatuck, Graham helped the 2015 V8 and varsity lightweight 8 to the Youth National Championship. His V8 went undefeated and took first place at the Head of the Charles, San Diego Crew Classic, Youth National Championship and Club National Championship.  In 2014, his varsity lightweight 8 claimed second place at the Youth National Championship while his 4+ was the Club National Champion. In 2013, Graham coached the women's single at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania. Graham began rowing at Parkersburg South High School in West Virginia, where he competed for Midwest and scholastic national championships. After graduating high school, Graham went on to row at Marietta College from 2003-07. He was named the team's Most Improved Oarsman in 2004.   He rowed with the V8 for three years and helped lead the team to a Varsity 8 Dad Vail Championship in 2006. Graham earned a bachelor's degree in management and minor in sport management in 2007.  While pursuing a master's in education, Graham continued training in the men's pair and won a Club National Championship as well as claiming a third-place finish at the Canadian Henley Regatta. During his time training and completing his education, he served as a women's graduate assistant coach at Marietta College for two years. He helped lead his squad to a Mid Atlantic Division III Championship while also playing an important role in recruiting. In 2009, Graham began coaching the women's rowing program at Fairfield University. During his first year at Fairfield, he led his squad to the program's first Dad Vail Championship.  

DALLAS (August 11, 2025) – SMU Athletics named Kelcy McKenna as the new Women's Tennis Head Coach. Since 2017, McKenna has served as the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers' women's tennis, transforming the program into a perennial NCAA tournament team. McKenna's tenure at Wisconsin has been defined by a dramatic program turnaround. When she arrived in 2016, the Badgers were coming off a 4–16 season and a winless Big Ten campaign. In her second year, Wisconsin began to show progress, and by her third season in 2018–19, the team posted an 18–6 record, finished second in the Big Ten at 9–2, and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. By 2023, the Badgers had achieved one of the best seasons in school history: 20 victories (first in 25 years), a No. 11 national ranking at their peak (highest since 1996), and a season-ending No. 22 ITA ranking, along with the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2002. Under McKenna's leadership, Wisconsin evolved from the bottom of the Big Ten into a nationally respected contender, consistently competing against and defeating top-25 programs. Over the last three seasons, McKenna has led the Badgers to a record of 58-21 including three straight NCAA Round of 32 appearances. Last season, McKenna coached Maria Sholokhova to a 2024 Women's ITA All-American Singles Championship, becoming the program's first All-American since 1998 in 2025. McKenna and Sholokhova became the first coach-player duo, men's or women's, to both win the ITA All-American Singles Championship.   "Simply put, Kelcy McKenna is one of the best women's tennis coaches in the country," said Damon Evans, Director of Athletics. "Recruiting a head coach of the caliber of Kelcy is a testament to the incredible program we are building here at SMU. High expectations attract incredible people, and Kelcy is embracing the goal to build a championship-level program here in Dallas."   "From my first conversation with Damon, it was clear his vision for SMU Athletics is bold, ambitious, and championship-driven," McKenna said. "That vision, combined with the campus energy and world-class facilities, makes this an opportunity I'm eager to embrace. I'm profoundly grateful to Damon and the SMU Athletics Executive Leadership Team for entrusting me to build something special here on the Hilltop."   "My husband and I are thrilled to join the SMU family and become part of the vibrant Mustang community," McKenna added.   Prior to her coaching career, McKenna was an All-American student-athlete at Arizona State in both singles and doubles, ranked as high as No. 3 in the country in singles and No. 11 in doubles while at ASU. McKenna won multiple prestigious national tournaments including the 2009 ITA Riviera All-American Tournament, the 2010 Thunderbird and the 2010 Cal Nike Invitational.   A native of North Bend, Oregon, McKenna graduated from ASU in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a master's degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in 2014. She is married to Matt Given and the couple has two dogs: Jordy and Aspen.

Brad Kearns is entering his fifth season on the hilltop and his second season as the head coach of the SMU Equestrian program in 2025-26. Kearns assumed the role after being an assistant during the most successful stretch in program history, including being a part of two National Championship teams in 2023 and 2024.  During his first season as head coach, Kearns helped SMU continue to solidify its place at the top of the sport. The Mustangs started off 3-4, but rattled off seven consecutive victories to close the regular season to earn the No. 1 overall seed for the NCEA Championships in Ocala. SMU would advance to the finals for the fourth time in the last five seasons and claim the Reserve National Championship. Kearns coached on the Western side along with his head coach duties and helped the unit dominate throughout the season. In Horsemanship, the Mustangs boasted a 15-2 record and won the MOP at every meet during the season. SMU won on the Western side in the final 10 meets of the season and had a 13-3-1 record overall in the discipline.  The success all season led to Alexa Black (Horsemanship), Nya Kearns (Horsemanship) and Chalyce Head (Reining) earning Ariat All-America accolades. Nya Kearns also was named NCEA Horsemanship Rider of the Year honors for the third time in her career. Following the NCEA Championships, Alexa Black (Horsemanship), Nya Kearns (Horsemanship), Violet Shetler (Horsemanship), Sara Filiatreau (Reining) and Addi Schmersal (Reining) earned spots on the All-Championship Team.  The Mustangs also worked their way up the record books in Kearns' first season at the helm. On the western side, Nya Kearns became the NCEA All-Time leader in Horsemanship wins and Horsemanship MOPs. Chalyce Head also became SMU's all-time leader in Reining career wins and picked up the second most in a season during 2024-25. Alexa Black won 14 times during the year, to become second on SMU's Horsmeanship wins list for a single season. The accomplishments were not limited to competition, as 11 Mustangs earned APHA All-Academic honors and 19 earned their spot on the NCEA Academic Honor Roll. In his third year with the Mustangs, Kearns helped SMU earn its second consecutive NCEA Dual Discipline National Championship. During the season, Kearns mentored three Western All-America Selections, two NCEA Riders of the Year, four All-Championship Team honorees and a Nationals MOP. Kearns led the Mustangs' Western arena to a 10-4-2 record in 2023-24, and was honored as the NCEA's Western Coach of the Year. Kearn’s was a key component of a historic Mustang team that captured SMU’s first NCEA National Title in program history. Five of Kearn’s riders, Nya Kearns, Mallory Vroegh, Chalyce Head, Lily Anderson and Alexa Black were named NCEA All-Americans. Vroegh and Dani Latimer were also named the National Championships Most Outstanding Performers in Horsemanship and Reining, respectively.    In Kearns's first year as the Western Coach, SMU added its fourth consecutive ECAC Conference title and finished No. 3 in the final NCEA poll of the season. The Mustangs were 11-7 on the year and 4-1 in the conference. At the NCEA Championships in Ocala, Florida, SMU took down No. 1 Auburn in convincing fashion 12-8 in the quarterfinals. Kearns coached two all-American selections in Nya Kearns and Mallory Vroegh. The Mustangs had four NCEA all-American selections total, including two in the Western discipline.  Kearns took over as the Mustangs’ Western Coach in July 2021. He joins SMU after a successful career competing, coaching and judging in the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Paint Horse Association (APHA) and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA).   Kearns has coached multiple youth riders to AQHA High Point All-Around year-end titles. In addition, he has coached two AQHA Select World Champions, eight AQHA Youth World Champions, four AQHA Amateur Reserve World Champions, three AQHA Amateur Reserve World Champions and three Appaloosa World Champions.   As a competitor, Kearns is an AQHA World Champion and Reserve World Champion in Trail and Western Pleasure and has won a number of national titles in other events as well.   Kearns has served as a judge at major horse shows across the United States and around the world in countries like Switzerland, Germany and Australia. He previously judged the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show and the Australian Pleasure Horse Association National Championship Show.   Kearns’ daughter, Nya Kearns, previously competed in Horsemanship for the Mustangs. Nya is a five-time all-American.

DALLAS (SMU - April 17, 2023) - Ozzie Quevedo was named Head Coach of the Women's Swimming and Diving team in 2023. Quevedo comes to the Hilltop from Alabama, where he served as associate head coach, having joined the Tide in 2019.   Quevedo served as an assistant coach for the Polish Swimming Team in the 2024 Olympics. He was the primary coach for Kasia Wasick who won the gold meda. at the 2025 European Championship and finished fifth in the 50 meter freestyle in Paris. Under Quevedo, Wasick won a bronze medal in 50 meter freestyle at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, clocking the ninth-fastest time history with 23.95 seconds. "For 37 years, Steve Collins led this program with integrity, competed for championships and built a solid foundation for success. I want to thank him for his dedication and for setting a bar of undisputed excellence," said Quevedo. "I am excited to lead this program moving forward and build upon what has been done with hopes to reach even greater heights. The Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center, Barr-McMillion Natatorium and Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool make up one of the best swimming facilities in the nation and we are blessed to have these world-class resources to develop current and future Mustang swimmers.   "As I leave Tuscaloosa, I want to thank Greg Byrne (Alabama A.D.), our sport administrators - Dr. Karin Lee, Tiffini Grimes and Marie Robinson, as well as Coach Margo Geer, our entire coaching and support staff and every student-athlete I had the humbling opportunity to coach at Alabama over the past four incredible seasons.   "I would also like to thank Rick Hart, Ryan McCabe and all those on the search committee for the opportunity to lead the women's program," Quevedo added. "Rick has established a tremendous vision for SMU Athletics and I am so glad to be joining the team. My family and I are proud to call SMU home and cannot wait to get started."   "We are delighted to welcome Ozzie, Irene, Victoria, Camilla and Nicholas to the Hilltop," said Hart. "Ozzie's experience as an elite athlete, a coach at some of the top swim programs in the country and his vision for the future of SMU women's swimming propelled him to the top of our list. He will continue our tradition of excellence established under Steve Collins and win championships with integrity. I'd like to thank the search committee and our swimming alumni for their support during this process."   Quevedo joined the Crimson Tide swimming and diving staff as associate head coach in June 2019 and served as interim head coach from December 2020 through May 2021, before being promoted to senior associate head coach in July 2022.   In the 2022-23 season, Quevedo helped the Alabama men's and women's teams to top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships, as they finished 19th and 14th, respectively. The year also saw 17 swimmers and divers earn CSCAA All-America accolades, while Derek Maas earned the prestigious Elite 90 Award, marking the first time an Alabama swimmer or diver won the award.   During the 2021-22 season, the Crimson Tide women earned its highest finish at the NCAA Championships in program history, taking fourth place with a school-record 288 points. The Alabama men would post their eighth-consecutive top-15 national finish, taking 14th at NCAAs. The men and women would see a combined 17 swimmers and divers earn 58 All-America honors. At the Southeastern Conference Championships, the Tide men were second, their best finish since 1987, while the women were third, their best finish since 1994. The men and women combined to earn 23 medals at the conference meet, including 11 gold. Overall, the Crimson Tide broke 13 school records during the 2021-22 season. On the women's side of the slate, every swimming record but one (the 400 individual medley) was held by a member of the 2021-22 team.   Quevedo was recognized as one of the nation's top coaches when, prior to the 2021-22 season, he was named to the United States National Team coaching staff and served as an assistant coach on Team USA's 2021 FINA World Short Course Championships squad in Abu Dhabi.   Under Quevedo's tutelage, numerous swimmers have thrived professionally. At the 2024 World Aquatics Championship, Poland's Kasia Wasick reset her 50 free Polish national record to earn bronze, touching the wall in 23.95. Rhyan White continued to do well on the national and international scene during the 2021-22 season. White started an extraordinary year at the 2021 United States Swimming Olympic Team Trials. Already the first Alabama woman to ever earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Swim Team after taking second in the 100-meter backstroke, White became the first UA woman to win an event at the U.S. Olympic Trials, taking the top spot in the 200m backstroke by more than a half second, going 2:05.73, bettering her own school record and personal best in the event by more than a second. White earned a silver medal as part of Team USA's 400m medley relay contingent at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She also took fourth in both the 100m and 200m backstrokes in Tokyo. After returning to campus, she earned a spot on the 2021 U.S. FINA World Short Course Championships that competed in Abu Dhabi in December, winning gold in the 200m backstroke by nearly half a second. She also earned a silver medal as part Team USA's 200m medley relay. At the 2022 SEC Championships, she swept the 100 and 200 backstroke titles for the third-consecutive year, while taking silver in 100 butterfly, giving her nine individual SEC medals over the past three years. She also took gold in the 200 and 400 medley relays with school, SEC Championships and SEC records. Her efforts at the 2022 NCAA Championships propelled Alabama to fourth place, its best team finish at the national championships in program history.   White rolled right back into international competition following the NCAA Championships, earning a place on the 2022 FINA World Long Course Championships team at the U.S. International Team Trials. At the U.S. Team Trials, she took second in the 200 backstroke with a career-best 2:05.13, dipping under the previous U.S. Open record and ranking third in the world in 2022. White also ranked fifth in the world in 2022 in the 100m backstroke. At the FINA Championships in Budapest, Hungary, White earned a bronze medal in the 200 backstroke for the U.S. and Kalia Antoniou from Cyprus was a semifinalist in both the 50 and 100 free. For her efforts, Antoniou earned the prestigious 2022 "Sports Women Of The Year Award" for Cyprus.   During the 2020-21 season, while serving as interim head coach, Quevedo helped the UA women match their highest national finish in school history while Cora Dupre, Flora Molnar, Kalia Antoniou and Morgan Scott capped off the Tide's historical run by winning the 400 freestyle relay, just the second Alabama NCAA relay title and the first by the women's program. White continued to score big for the Tide, earning silver in the 200 backstroke, bronze in the 100 backstroke and fifth in the 100 butterfly at NCAAs.   The Crimson Tide's relay win closed a phenomenal week-long showing that ended with Alabama taking fifth place with a school-record 266 points. Alabama bettered its previous high-point total by more than 80 points. In addition to tying its best NCAA Championships finish since 1983, it was the Tide women's first top-25 finish since 2005 and first in the top-10 since 1994.   The Tide men posted their seventh-consecutive top-15 NCAA Championships team finish, taking 15th place at the national championships. Overall, 15 Tide men and women combed to earn 48 All-America honors in 2021.   At the 2021 SEC Championships, the men and women combined to win 10 gold medals, including four relay and six individual titles. Overall, Alabama earned 20 gold, silver or bronze medals at the SEC Championships and White won the SEC Commissioner's Trophy and was named the SEC Female Swimmer of the Year. As a program, Alabama broke 11 school records, including four relays in 2020-21.   On the international stage at the 2021 Fina World Championships in Abu Dhabi, Kaique Alves (Brazil) earned a bronze medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay and Diana Petkova (Bulgaria) was a semifinalist in the 100 IM.   In Quevedo's first season in Tuscaloosa, the Tide qualified 24 student-athletes for the NCAA Championships, earning 57 All-America honors, winning a league-best nine SEC titles, setting SEC records in four different events and breaking 23 school records over the five days of the SEC Championships.   Quevedo also helped White to a breakout sophomore season in 2020 that saw her win SEC gold in the 100 and 200 backstroke and set SEC records in both events as well as shattering the school marks in the 100 and 200 backstroke and 100 and 200 butterfly. She was the No. 1 seed in the 200 backstroke heading into the 2020 NCAA Championships before they were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   Quevedo joined the Tide following three seasons as Florida State's assistant head coach. During his time in Tallahassee, the Seminoles made an impressive jump in the national rankings, going from 31st in 2017 to 14th in 2019.   Quevedo's tenure at FSU followed three seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Auburn (2013-16), where he worked with all groups, including the professionals who competed in the 2016 Olympic Games where he was a head coach for Suriname.   Prior to Auburn, Quevedo coached on the club and high school levels and was the head coach of National Training Center Aquatics in Clermont, Florida, where he produced senior and junior national swimmers. In addition to NTCA, he coached both the men's and women's teams at the Montverde Academy.   An NCAA champion, six-time All-American and five-time SEC champion, Quevedo specialized in the butterfly and freestyle and was a vital part of bringing home the Tigers' second NCAA title in 1999. In 2000, he was a part of the Tigers' NCAA champion 200 freestyle relay squad that set a U.S. Open and NCAA record that stood for four years. Quevedo graduated from Auburn with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2004.   A 2000 Olympian for his native Venezuela, Quevedo swam the 100 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay in Sydney. He was the Venezuelan national champion in the 50m and 100m butterfly events in 2000 and set the masters long-course world record in the 50m butterfly (24.15) in 2009. He is also a two-time Pan-American Games medalist.   Quevedo and his wife Irene, have three children, daughters Victoria and Camilla and son Nicholas.   Quevedo succeeds Collins, who led the Mustangs for 37 seasons before announcing his retirement in March.   In his first year on the Hilltop, Quevedo led the Mustangs to a second place finish at the AAC Championship. He led the program to place 12 on the AAC-All Conference team and six championship titles.   What They Are Saying About Ozzie Quevedo   "Ozzie is one of the bright minds in coaching today. He is constantly striving to learn and grow in his capacity as a coach and mentor to young people. He will be a great leader for SMU women's swimming." – Bob Bowman, Arizona State Head Swim Coach   "I have known Ozzie since his days competing at Auburn University. He is a smart and curious young coach with a great patient coaching demeanor. He has made a difference everywhere he has coached. SMU will make great strides under his leadership. He is an outstanding choice to follow in the footsteps of Steve Collins. Excited to see his imprint on the Mustangs." – Dave Salo, Head Coach Novaquatics, Former USC Head Swim Coach   "I'm excited for Ozzie and look forward to his guiding this next chapter of SMU Swimming and Diving. Ozzie has the experience and confidence to build upon SMU's successful history and I look forward to some fun and fast competitions. Welcome to Texas Ozzie!" – Carol Capitani, Texas Head Coach "Happy for Ozzie to have this opportunity to lead a Program.  Ozzie is a great coach and I've enjoyed my interactions with him over the years.  He is a lot of fun, energetic, knowledgeable, and competitive.  I'm a fan of Ozzie's, excited to see what he does with the Program, SMU got a good one." - Todd DeSorbo, Virginia Head Coach  

Former NCAA All-American and Big Ten Diver of the Year Darian Schmidt is in his ninth season (2025-26) as the Mustangs’ head diving coach. In each of his seven seasons at SMU, Schmidt has earned Men's Diving Coach of the Year honors in the American Athletic Conference and Atlantic Sun Conference, as well as the women's Coach of the Year in 2021. He has guided Luke Sitz (2024, 1-meter), Parker Hardigree (1 meter, 2022), Peter Smithson (Platform & 3 meter, 2020), Bryce Klein (3 meter, 2018) and Johanna Holloway (Platform, 2020) to All-America honors, and also led Smithson (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020), Hardigree (2019), Klein (2018), Nicole Stambo (2022) and Holloway (2021) to AAC Diver of the Year awards. Smithson and Hardigree were also named Freshman of the Year. The 2024-25 season was highlighted by Schmidt's development of standout freshman Luke Sitz. During the regular season, Sitz earned podium finishes in every event he competed in. He also won six ACC Diver of the Week accolades, the most by a single diver in a single season in the history of the award. Sitz's accomplishments would continue into the postseason, as he earned two medals during the ACC Championships. He opened it up on 3-meter, earning silver to become the first member of the program to earn an ACC medal. The success would continue on 1-meter, with Sitz earning Bronze to earn the second medal of his career. The Prosper native would later punch his ticket to the NCAA Championships on 1-meter and 3-meter and placed seventh on 1-meter to earn First Team All-America honors. He became the first Mustang diver to earn First Team All-America accolades since Phillips Griffin did so on 3-meter in 2006 and the first on 1-meter since Ali Al-Hasan in 1997. The seventh-year coach helped the duo of Tyler Coffey and John Dymond secure conference championships in both the 1-meter (Coffey) and 3-meter (Dymond) in 2024. Dymond went on the qualify for NCAA Zone Diving in Houston.  Schmidt help lead Hardigree to All-America honors in 2022, marking the first time a Mustang has achieved the honor through competition, 2020 accolades were based on qualification due to COVID-19 pandemics cancelation of the Championships, since Klein in 2018. In 2020, Smithson became the first Mustang to earn automatic bids to the NCAA Championships in multiple events since 2015, when Devin Burnett did so on 1 meter and platform. In 2023, Smithson also became the first Mustang diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships all four years since Bryce Dumais (2000-2003). On the women's side, Holloway became the first diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Audra Egenolf in 2010. In 2021, Smithson automatically qualified in all three diving events and became the first men's diver to qualify for multiple NCAA Championships since Klein (2016 & 2018), and the first to earn back-to-back bids since Burnett (2012-13). It was also the first time a duo (Smithson, Hardigree) qualified for the Mustangs on the diving side since Philip Griffin and Brice Dumais did so in 2003. Five Mustangs have won 20 conference championships including a sweep of men’s events in 2021 and 2022. In 2019, the Mustangs qualified multiple divers for the NCAA Zone Championships on the women's side for the first time since 2010. Overall, Schmidt has helped Mustang divers to 63 all-conference honors.  Schmidt came to the Hilltop after a season at AAC member East Carolina, where he coached four Pirates to the NCAA Zone B Championships, one school record, 11 AAC Finals appearances and 11 career-best performances. On the men's side, ECU won the AAC title. During the 2014-15 season, Schmidt served as a student assistant coach at Indiana, and from 2009-16 he served on the staff at the TriSynerG Dive Camp with three-time Olympic coach Jeff Huber and 2012 U.S. Olympic head coach Drew Johansen. As a student-athlete at Indiana, Schmidt was a four-time All-American and four-time Big Ten Champion. In 2013 and 2014, he was named the conference Diver of the Year, while earning Big Ten Diver of the Championships honors in 2012, 2013 and 2014. A member of the U.S. National Diving Team from 2013-16, Schmidt was selected for the Olympic Performance Squad from 2014-16, was a member of the 2015 World Championship team and was a five-time member of the Grand Prix team. A native of Bloomington, Indiana, Schmidt earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies from Indiana in 2015.  

AWARDS & ACCOLADES  As Head Coach at SMU                                                             AAC 2022 Midfielder of the Year                                        AAC 2023 Freshman of the Year                                    AAC 2023 Freshman of the Year                                       2 NSCAA/USC All-Region Players 1 ACC All-Conferene Player                                           5 AAC First Team All-Conference Players                              2 AAC All-Freshman Players                                             8 AAC All-Tournament Team Players               Career Head Coaching Totals                     2 NCAA Appearances 1 NCAA All-American 33 All-Conference Honors 3 NSCAA/USC All-Region Honors 2 SLC Coach of the Year 1 Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year 2 Conference Championships 4 Conference Championship Finals 5 10+ Win Seasons 13 players signed to professional clubs Talent Scout for US Soccer Identification Centers and Development Academy USFF A Coaching License Head Coach Nicole Nelson enters her fifth season at the helm of the Mustangs in 2026. Nelson will enter her 26th season coaching collegiate soccer and 12th as a head coach. She previously served eight seasons as an associate head coach at SMU under former National Coach of the Year Chris Petrucelli. During her tenure as head coach at SMU, she boasts a record of 35-27-10 and has compiled a career record of 97-92-25 in 11 years as a head coach with the Mustangs, Oklahoma, and Stephen F. Austin. In the programs second season in the ACC Nelson's Mustangs' with an overall record of 8-8-2 and a home record of 6-3-1. The Mustangs totaled six shutouts during the season and recorded 26 assists on 25 goals scored and had 13 different goal scorers during the season. SMU faced five ranked opponents throughout the season, four of which were ranked inside the top-10. The Mustangs also faced eight teams that made the 2025 NCAA Tournament during the regular season.  Nelson ushered in a new era of women's soccer on the Hilltop as she led the Mustangs in their inaugural season in the ACC in 2024. She led SMU to six wins as the team scored 32 goals, the most under Nelson and the most since 2019. On the defensive side, the Mustangs recorded four shutouts during the season and had eight of the team's 10 ACC games decided by one goal or less. The Mustangs faced nine teams that held a top-25 ranking at least once during the season and seven that were ranked when the teams played. Nelson oversaw the development of Nyah Rose who earned third team All-ACC honors and was called up to play for Canada's National Team.  The Mustangs have been outstanding inside Washburne Stadium under Nelson, putting together a record of 22-11-2.  Nelson led SMU to an 11-6-1 record in her second season as head coach of the Mustangs, including a 5-3-1 mark in conference play. Nelson helped take SMU to its second consecutive AAC Tournament Final after finishing third in the conference's regular season. The Mustangs went 4-1-1 at Washburne Stadium, including a ranked win over No. 25 Tennessee and a 1-0 shutout victory over Oklahoma State. SMU received votes in five of the United Soccer Coaches Poll throughout the season, during which the Mustangs recorded six shutouts and held opponents to one or fewer goals in 13 matches. Freshman Nyah Rose was named AAC-Co Rookie of the Year and All-AAC after finishing second in the conference with 11 goals. Peyton Annen was named to the All-AAC Second Team, with freshman Emma Alvord joining Rose on the AAC's All-Rookie Team.  In Nelson's first season as head coach at SMU, the Mustangs finished 10-4-5, reaching the AAC Tournament Final for the first time since 2016. The Mustangs were undefeated out of conference with a 5-0-3 mark and were as high as No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25. The program set season records for goals against average (0.68) and save percentage (.854). Courtney Sebazco was a Hermann Trophy candidate and AAC Midfielder of the Year. Jewel Boland and Julissa Cisneros were All-AAC Second Team, while Peyton Annen made the AAC All-Freshman Team. Nelson spent eight seasons as an associate head coach and assistant coach for the Mustangs from 2012-2019. During that time she helped establish a winning culture on the Hilltop, as SMU has had seven double-digit win seasons in the past eight years. Before founding Nicole Nelson High-Performance Consulting. As a High-Performance Consultant & Crucial Competencies Coach, she specialized in serving high-performance coaches, athletic administrators and athletes who are self-motivated to improve performance, exceed perceived limitations, embody their full potential, and positively impact others while doing so. In addition to her coaching career at SMU, Nelson has served as an adjunct faculty member for SMU Sport Performance Leadership and earned a master’s certificate in Executive Leadership Coaching and Conflict Management. Outside of SMU, she continues to work as a talent scout for US Soccer Identification Centers and Development Academy which she has done since 2017. In 2019 on the Hilltop, Nelson helped SMU to its fourth-straight 10-plus-win season, notching a 12-7-1 record, including a draw with No. 25 Oklahoma State, and helping SMU to a ranking as high as No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Mustangs made an appearance in the postseason at the AAC tournament semifinal match. Player highlights for SMU included two All-AAC First-Team picks, two All-AAC All-Rookie choices and two All-AAC All-Tournament Team selections in addition to a CoSIDA Academic All-District First-Team honoree. In 2018, Nelson assisted SMU to a ranking as high as No. 18. Three athletes received All-American Athletic Conference honors, including Allie Thornton with a First-Team selection and Courtney Sebazco with the Rookie of the Year honor. In 2017, the Mustangs reached No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, the first time being ranked since 2006. SMU finished the season with three wins against top-25 teams (No. 17 Arkansas, No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 21 Cincinnati). The Mustangs also advanced to the American Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal for the fourth time in five seasons. Four student-athletes earned AAC honors, including Claire Oates and Allie Thornton, who were named to the All-AAC First and Second Teams, respectively. Freshmen Hannah Allred and Isabelle Nashmi were named to The American All-Rookie Team. In 2016, Nelson helped lead the Mustangs to a 13-7-2 overall record en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006, as well as runner-up honors at the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Five student-athletes were named to AAC All-Conference teams, including Vanessa Valadez and Thornton, who earned First-Team honors. Following the AAC Championship, four members were named to the AAC All-Tournament Team. In 2014, Nelson helped guide freshman Claire Oates to conference Rookie of the Year honors and Second-Team All-Conference accolades. Before coming to SMU, Nelson served as the head coach at Oklahoma from 2007 to 2011. During her time at OU, Nelson led the Sooners to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010 as she was named co-Big 12 Coach of the Year. That year, the team ended with the highest Big 12 finish in program history (T-3rd) and advanced to the Big 12 championship game, making it the first time that the program advanced past the first round. She coached players to numerous all-conference and all-region honors as well as several academic awards and had three athletes drafted to professional programs. In July 2010, Nelson worked as a U.S. Soccer Region III age group coach. She was a member of the Olympic Development Program for Region III for nine years and served as the head coach of the US Soccer Region III '97 Age Group from July 2010-May 2013. Nelson took the team to events in Costa Rica and on a European Tour in March of 2013, where the team played games in Germany and Switzerland. Nelson spent two years as an at Texas (2006-07) under Petrucelli, where she served as the recruiting coordinator. She helped coach a Longhorn team that won back-to-back postseason Big 12 Championships in 2006 and 2007, and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 both years. In 2005, Nelson served as the recruiting coordinator and an assistant coach at Baylor. Prior to her time at Baylor, Nelson served as the head coach of the Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team (2002-2004), leading the team to two Southland Conference Championships. In her second year at the helm, Nelson's Jacks won the conference tournament and made the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2003. In 2004, SFA won the regular season Southland Championship and Nelson was named the conference coach of the year for the second consecutive season. She led 25 student-athletes to All-SLC honors over three seasons and left the Jacks with the most wins in program history. Nelson served as an assistant at SFA during the 2001 season. Before she started her career in coaching, Nelson played semi-professional soccer for the Austin Lonestars (W-League). Following that stint, she worked with numerous clubs and camps before taking her first position in the collegiate ranks as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater in 2000-01. As a player, Nelson started every game and was the team captain in 1995, 1996 and 1997 at Oklahoma City University under Brian Harvey. Nelson was a three-time All-Sooner Athletic Conference member and Academic All-American. She began her collegiate career at Texas A&M University as a freshman and concluded it at OCU as an All-American (honorable mention). Nelson has held a USFF A Coaching License since 2006. Nelson earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish in 1997 at Oklahoma City University, graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors. She received her master’s degree in Kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in May 2005. She also earned a master’s certificate in Executive Leadership Coaching and Conflict Management. Outside of SMU, she continues to work as a talent scout for US Soccer Identification Centers and Development Academy. Nelson and her wife, Lee Ann Riley, reside in Dallas.

Former SMU head coach and All-American Greg Rhodenbaugh returned to the Hilltop to lead the men's swimming program, and enters his seventh season (2025-26) with the Mustangs. In 2024-25, the Mustangs embarked on their first season as a member of the ACC. During the season, SMU worked on rewriting the record books, posting 33 new Top-10 times along with new school records in the 100 & 200 back and the 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. The Mustangs also reached NCAA standards in four different relays, competing in three at the NCAA Championships. The accomplishments weren't just limited to the pool, as 16 Mustangs landed on the All-ACC Academic Team following the season. In addition, four different SMU swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors, while Eric Stelmar picked up CSC Third Team Academic All-America accolades.  The 2023-24 season saw the Mustangs win their fourth straight conference championship, this time in the ASUN. SMU won in commanding style, winning 17 events while setting nine new championship record times. Jack Hoagland earned ASUN Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Championship, while Kristaps Mikelsons earned Most Outstanding Freshman Performer. Rhodenbaugh also earned ASUN Swimming Coach of the Year honors, his fourth consecutive season receiving conference coach of the year accolades. At 2024 NCAA's, SMU earned its best finish since 2008, placing 18th at the Championships. Chris Mykkanen, Jack Forrest and Hoagland all picked up All-America accolades during the event. Following the season, five Mustangs were also named to CSCAA Academic All-American Teams. In 2023, SMU won its third consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship, defeating Cincinnati 1267-1134. This was the Mustangs third overall AAC title and 44th conference championship in program history. They have won 19 titles since 1997. Rhodenbaugh was named the AAC Swimming Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. The Mustangs sent one swimmer and one diver to the 2023 NCAA Championships. Fourteen different Mustangs earned NCAA B Cuts during the season.  In the classroom, SMU earned CSCAA Scholar All-America Team honors and four student-athletes earned CSC All-District honors.   For the second straight year, Rhodenbaugh led the Mustangs to an American Athletic Conference Championship in 2022. Eighteen SMU swimmers combined to make 41 individual NCAA B cuts throughout the season. Three swimmers were invited and competed in the NCAA Championships, and Rhodenbaugh was named American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. SMU notched 34 new times in the all-time school top 10 lists, including two relays. Rhodenbaugh returned SMU to the top of the conference for the first time since 2013, winning the 2021 American Athletic Conference Championships, and sent a swimmer to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2017. Ten swimmers posted 19 total NCAA B cuts and a total of 16 times were added to SMU's all-time top 10 lists during the season. At the AAC Championships, four swimmers won seven total conference championships and four of five relays took home top honors. Connor Dalbo, Colin Feehery, Caleb Rhodenbaugh and Brayden Rudd all posted U.S. Olympic Trials cuts, while Justin Baker posted a Canadian Trials cut. During the 2019-20 season, the Mustangs produced 14 individual NCAA B cuts, and eight individuals posted 14 times on SMU's all-time top 10 performer lists. Two swimmers, Caleb Rhodenbaugh (100 breast, 200 breast) and Colin Feehery (400 IM), won conference championships, while three individual swimmers and four relays earned eight total all-conference honors. In the classroom SMU earned CSCAA Scholar All-America Team honors and seven swimmers were named to the SMU honor roll.     Rhodenbaugh perviously served as head coach during the 1988-89 season after serving as an assistant and swam for the Mustangs from 1980-84. As a coach, he led the Mustangs to a runner-up finish at the 1989 Southwest Conference Championships, earning Co-Coach of the Year honors, and guided SMU to a 14th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.   Before coming to the Hilltop, Rhodenbaugh served as head coach at Missouri, a position he took over in May of 2010. During his time at Mizzou, Rhodenbaugh drastically increased the Tigers' presence on the National stage. Overall, Rhodenbaugh's tenure with the Tigers saw 23 women earn 124 All-America honors, while 23 men picked up 103. As a team, the men posted the top six NCAA finishes in school history, while the women made it seven.   In just his second season, he led the Mizzou men to a 19th-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Championships, its highest ever, an improved to 14th in 2013. That season, the Tigers produced their first NCAA individual All-American since 1979 and their first All-American relay in program history.   In 2014, the men posted a program-record 95 points at the National event, garnering four First-Team All-America honors, while the women picked up their first individual All-America honor for a freshman since 1978.   Success continued for both programs during the 2014-15 season, with record setting performances at the NCAA Championships. Both teams turned in top-15 finishes, with the men coming in 11th and the women 14th. The men posted five top-seven finishes, while earning six individual and four relay All-America nods. For the first time in school history, two of the women's relays earned All-America honors, including a program record in the 400 medley relay.   Rhodenbaugh guided Mizzou's first individual National Champion in program history, Fabian Schwingenschlogl, to victory in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 2016 Championships. In total, six men and women earned All-America accolades helping the men to an eighth-place finish and the women to 11th that year.   The teams held steady the next season as the men finished within the country's top 10 again at ninth, and the women were 13th. The 2018 Championships saw the Mizzou women finish 15th, earning five total individual All-America honors as well as three relay accolades.   Prior to his time at Mizzou, Rhodenbaugh served as an assistant at Arizona under Frank Busch, helping both the men and women to 2008 NCAA National Championships.   Rhodenbaugh has also served as a member of both the U.S. Swimming National Team and U.S. National Junior Team staffs. He mentored two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Amanda Beard, as well as Mustang medalists Ryan Berube, Ricardo Prado and Lars Frolander.   During his time at SMU as a student-athlete, Rhodenbaugh earned All-America honors in the 100-yard breaststroke (1983, 1984), 200-yard breaststroke (1983) and as part of the 800-yard freestyle relay (1983, 1984). SMU earned four top-10 NCAA finishes, including runner-up honors in 1983.   In addition to his collegiate swimming success, Rhodenbaugh won the 200-meter breaststroke at the 1982 U.S. National Sports Festival and was a member of the U.S. team at the 1983 World University Games in Canada.   Rhodenbaugh and wife Lisa, also a graduate of SMU, have eight children.

A Havahla Haynes is in her seventh season (2025-26) at the helm of the SMU Track & Field / Cross Country programs.  In her time at SMU, which includes cancellations to the 2020 outdoor season and the 2021 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships due to the COVID pandemic, the Mustang track and field athletes have garnered 10 All-American honors and have had seven conference champions. Under Haynes’s leadership, the team has claimed 15 program records and posted more than 100 marks which rank in the program’s all-time top 10 for an event. SMU also had their highest team placement in 13 years at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2024. Haynes has lead the SMU cross country athletes to eight All-Conference honors, including Emily Little claiming the first ACC honors for SMU in their first year as part of the conference, and seven All-Region honors. In the Fall of 2024, Haynes ushered the team into a new era at SMU as they entered the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In their first year in the conference, she also brought track and field back to Dallas — hosting the first home track meet in 27 years.  Haynes’s athletes have performed, not just on the track, but also in the classroom. The cross country team has earned the highest GPA on campus each year under Haynes, and both the cross country and track and field teams have earned numerous All-Conference Academic honors and All-Academic national honors — both as a team and individually. Haynes came to SMU from Northwestern, where she served as Head Coach of the cross country program from 2015 to 2019. In her four seasons at the helm, Haynes led the Wildcats steadily up the Big Ten standings and saw her student-athletes set 15 school records. In 2018, Haynes led Northwestern's Aubrey Roberts to the first cross country All-America honors in school history, as she finished 18th at the NCAA Championships. It was the third-consecutive NCAA Championship meet appearance for Roberts, all coming under Haynes. Roberts also became the first woman in school history to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships with a 10th-place finish in the 5,000-meters in 2019. Haynes-coached Wildcats also qualified for the IAAF World Junior Team and NACAC Junior Team. In the classroom, Haynes' teams earned perfect APR scores in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and were named NCAA Division I All-Academic Teams in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Haynes returned to Evanston after five seasons at New Mexico where she served as the Associate Head Coach of both the cross country and track & field programs. In the fall of 2014, she helped lead the Lobos to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championships, which, at that time, was the best result in school history and the team's fifth-consecutive national Top-10 finish. During the five years in Albuquerque, she guided her runners to 10 Mountain West Conference (MWC) Cross Country Team Championships (five men, five women), four MWC Indoor Track & Field Team Championships (two men, two women) and a men's Outdoor Track & Field Title. Her group also captured five Mountain Region Cross Country Championships. Under her tutelage, Lobos student-athletes earned 10 All-America honors and six MWC individual titles in cross country, 10 All-America nods and 14 MWC individual crowns in indoor track, and eight All-America awards and 14 MWC individual championships in outdoor track. Prior to her tenure at New Mexico, Haynes spent two years as Northwestern's assistant cross country coach. The Phillips, Wisconsin, native earned All-Big Ten and All-Midwest honors for both cross country and track & field at Wisconsin. She was a member of the 2006 Badgers cross country team that placed fourth at the NCAA Championships and she competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships during her college career. On the track, she set the then-school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and earned All-America honors in 2007. She also qualified to the 2008 Olympic Trials in the steeplechase. Haynes earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's of Sports Administration with a focus in marketing & public relations from Northwestern University. SMU All-American Honors Chelsea Francis: 60m Indoor (2020) Ashton Woods: 4x400 HM Outdoor (2021), 400m Hurdles 2nd-Team (2021) Annette Bolomboy: 4x400 HM Outdoor (2021) Whitney Williams: 4x400 HM Outdoor (2021) Chika Iwuamadi: 4x400 HM Outdoor (2021) Jernaya Sharp: 100m HM Hurdles Outdoor (2021) Raelyn Roberson: LJ Outdoor 2nd Team(2023) Funminiyi Olajide: LJ Indoor (2024), Outdoor (2024)

SMU women's tennis head coach Kelcy McKenna announced the appointment of Jose Gracia as the program's new associate head coach on Wednesday. Gracia comes to Dallas after serving as the Director of Tennis at New Mexico Sports and Wellness at High Point in Albuquerque, New Mexico, since March of 2023. Prior to his time in New Mexico, Gracia served four seasons as an assistant coach at three universities: Fresno State (2019-20), Tulsa (2021) and Oklahoma (2018-2019, 2020, 2021-22). In each of these roles, he worked as the primary player development coordinator by constructing individual training plans for each of the student-athletes and implemented aggressive recruiting campaigns as lead recruiting coordinator at each university.  In his most recent season at OU, Gracia helped guide the Sooners to a Big 12 regular-season title and their first conference title since 1994. Garcia and the Sooners finished runner-up at both the ITA National Team Indoor and the NCAA Team Championships in 2022, ending the year 33-2,17-0 at home. OU also earned eight top-10 wins and 14 top-25 victories in that season, and Gracia was named ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year.   Before the 2021-22 season, Gracia spent one season as the assistant coach for the Tulsa women's tennis program. During his time at Tulsa, the team finished the season ranked in the top 45 of the ITA rankings, with three players listed in the ITA singles and doubles rankings. With the help of Gracia's guidance, the Golden Hurricane tallied two wins over Power Five programs and finished runner-up at the AAC Championships.  Prior to Tulsa, Gracia served as the volunteer assistant at Oklahoma from June 2018 to July 2019 and again from May 2020 to November 2020.  While at OU for the first time, the Sooners finished 17-9 in the 2019 season, tying for the 10th-most wins in program history. The team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championships, making its 11th appearance at nationals and first since 2015. In addition to serving as the volunteer assistant, Gracia was the head professional at the OU Tennis Club.  Between his two initial stints in Norman, Gracia served as the women's assistant coach at Fresno State from 2019 to 2020.  Gracia has coached a total of five players to all-conference honors in his career, and three have earned bids to the NCAA singles and doubles championships.  Gracia had an impressive collegiate playing career at Florida State, earning 160 wins to place him tenth on the school's all-time singles list. Additionally, he ranks eighth on the doubles list with 80 victories. During his five years at FSU, Gracia helped lead the Seminoles to NCAA Championship appearances each year.   Gracia served as a tennis instructor at the Seminole High-Performance Center in Tallahassee, Florida, for two years while in college. He also spent four years at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, as a high-performance coach. In May 2018, Gracia earned his undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary social sciences from Florida State. Gracia currently lives in Dallas with his wife Ann. 

Johnson became an assistant at SMU in 2017 after spending seven seasons as the head coach at Richmond. In his first year on the Hilltop, Johnson helped develop a group of seven newcomers under legendary head coach Carl Neufeld. Johnson took over the Spiders in 2010 and saw 20 of his student-athletes earn All-Atlantic 10 accolades, including eleven first team honors, during his time at Richmond. In 2015 and 2017, Johnson won the A-10 Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year award. He helped guide the Spiders to 100 wins in seven years, including a program record 25 in 2017, when Richmond earned the top seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament. Johnson saw the Spiders reach the Atlantic 10 semifinals in 2014-15 and 2015-16 and led the Spiders to their first A-10 championship appearance in over 10 years in 2017. In addition to his coaching duties, Johnson was also head of the Atlantic 10 men’s tennis coaches’ committee. Prior to his time at Richmond, Johnson spent three seasons as the top assistant at Davidson. During his time with the Wildcats, he was involved with every aspect of the program, including player development, recruiting budget management and scheduling. As an assistant, Johnson helped land Davidson’s first and only top-75 ITA recruiting class, which was also ranked in the top-25 by tennisrecruiting.net, two feats that have never been repeated by the Wildcats. Before arriving at Davidson, Johnson was the Co-Founder and Director of Birmingham's Elite Tennis Academy (BETA) in Birmingham, Ala. In addition, from 2004-2006 he also was the Co-Founder and Director of Junior Development at Revolution Tennis Academy, also located in Birmingham. While at the academies, Johnson led eight players to a top-100 USTA ranking, with many of the talents earning scholarships in the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten, Big South, Big East, Southern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference. A native of Louisville, Ky., Johnson was a four-year starter for nationally-ranked Saint Xavier High School. He was a four-year Kentucky High School Athletic Association state champion for the Tigers and was crowned Mr. Kentucky Tennis in 2000. He was also a nationally-ranked junior during his prep career. Upon graduation, Johnson attended Birmingham-Southern, where he was a four-year letterwinner for the Panther tennis program. A three-year team captain, Johnson led the team in singles wins in 2001 and 2002 in addition to pacing the squad in doubles wins the following two seasons. He capped off his career with a designation to the Big South All-Academic team his senior season. Johnson graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in history and secondary education.

Miles Vaughn enters his second season on the Hilltop in 2025 as an assistant coach for the SMU women's soccer team. He joined the staff in the spring of 2024 and was promoted to Director of Player Development in the July.  Vaughn helped SMU to an 8-8-2 overall record and a home record of 6-3-1 during the 2025 season. The Mustangs totaled six shutouts during the season and recorded 26 assists on 25 goals scored and had 13 different goal scorers during the season. Vaughn also played a major role in the development of midfielder Lindsay Nicholoson, who was named one of the top 100 freshmen in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer. In 2024, he helped guide the team in its inaugural season in the ACC. Vaughn helped develop Nyah Rose, who earned third team All-ACC honors. Vaughn, a Dallas native, comes to the Hilltop after spending the previous six years with Maryland men's soccer, including serving as an assistant coach for the Terrapins the last three seasons.  Vaughn was a part of the 2018 NCAA National Championship-winning team in his first season at Maryland in which he served as the program's Director of Soccer Operations. Throughout his time at Maryland, Vaughn was a member of five total NCAA Tournament teams and helped the program reach its 21st consecutive tournament appearance in 2019. As director of operations, Vaughn managed the Terrapins' budget, fundraising, travel logistics and team events while also serving as a liaison to Maryland's external operations staff. Vaughn worked to successfully coordinate the 50th reunion of Maryland's 1968 National Championship team. Along with coaching the Terrapins, Vaughn helped manage Bethesda's youth club operations. At Bethesda, Vaughn oversaw all club facilities and scheduled venues for all 80 teams. Playing as a key role in the club's allotment, Vaughn also worked with club equipment, registration, sponsorship and travel. Vaughn also performed as a course staff member for Maryland's State Youth Soccer Association. Vaughn began facility and event operations with the Baton Rouge Soccer Club, where he also served as Director of Soccer Operations. Before his time as director, Vaughn acted as the club's director of development and managed fundraising and scholarships. Vaughn also helped direct communications to all 7000 of the club's members. In Baton Rouge, Vaughn coached two youth soccer teams and was an assistant coach at Catholic High School, in which he helped the school reach the No. 1 state ranking during his tenure. Vaughn also served as a Louisiana State ODP coach and instructional staff member. Vaughn holds both a USSF A-Youth Coaching License and NSCAA Advanced National License with Distinguished Pass. Vaughn played collegiate soccer at Austin College and was named a team captain during his four-year career. He went on to graduate cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Spanish. Following his undergraduate studies, Vaughn participated in the Teach For America program. Vaughn was also honored as a Fullbright Grantee, where he was able to teach English in Medellin, Colombia. Vaughn earned his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from LSU in 2013.  

McCall joined the Mustangs after serving four years at TCU Swimming and Diving. She spent two years as the Horned Frogs' assistant coach before getting promoted to associate head coach in 2023. Prior to her time in Fort Worth, Texas, McCall spent five years at Florida Atlantic University Swimming and Diving as an assistant coach, where she was the lead recruiter for FAU's men's team. She recruited three athletes who broke school records in their first appearances for FAU in the past two years. The Wigan, England, native started her coaching career at Toledo as an assistant coach for two seasons, leading the Rockets' mid-distance and distance groups. Before coaching, McCall was a four-year standout in the SMU Women's Swimming and Diving Team (2011-2014). She is a six-time Conference USA Champion specializing in distance freestyle. She was a member of the C-USA championship-winning 800 free relay team as a junior, and in her first year with the program, she earned a bronze medal in the 200 free, runner-up honors in the 500 free and took home the gold and C-USA Title in the 1650 free. In addition to great athletic results, McCall also earned Scholar Baller Honors for showing progression in academics over the course of her four years at SMU. McCall is still currently the 10th fastest Mustang to swim the 1650 free in program history. In England, McCall was a senior swimmer and international representative for her hometown squad. She was a nationally-ranked junior, having first represented Great Britain as a 16-year-old. She was also a member of the Great Britain Open Water squad in a number of international competitions including the FINA World Cup series, European Cup series and European Junior Championships, gaining numerous top-5 and top-10 finishes. She was also a 2007 World Championships qualifier.

Carly Ludwig enters her second season as the Associate Head Coach of SMU Women’s Golf. In her first season with the program, the Mustangs had a strong season ending in the NCAA Regional round. Mackenzie Lee was named All-American honorable mention and All-Conference in the first season in the ACC. Lee broke the program record for single season scoring, career birdies and career rounds of par or better. Emily Odwin had another strong season with the third lowest scoring mark by a Mustang (72.40). Celine Chen had a breakout year once averaging 71.29 during a stretch of 17 rounds in the middle of the season. As a team, the Mustangs had a second-place finish at the Briars Creek and two third-place showings. During 2025, Ludwig was a key piece in Mackenzie Lee making the Augusta National Women’s Amateur where she finished in the top 11 with a hole-in-one. Emily Odwin won her US Open Qualifier and earned a bid to the US Women’s Open with Ludwig on the bag. Grace Jin, just joining SMU in the summer of 2025, won the Texas Women’s Amateur Championship for back-to-back victories at the tournament. Both Jin and Lee earned spots at the US Women’s Amateur in Bandon Dunes taking place in August of 2025. Carrying on the SMU legacy of victories at Pinehurst No. 2 (Payne Stewart-1999 US Open & Bryson DeChambeau-2024 US Open) Mackenzie Lee won the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. She also recorded her third hole-in-one of the calendar year during the tournament. As of July of 2025, four returning Mustangs are ranked in the top 400 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings: Mackenzie Lee (No. 32), Emily Odwin (No.156), Grace Jin (No. 259) and Celine Chen (No. 374). Ludwig joined SMU from Baylor, where she spent six successful seasons as Associate Head Coach of the Bears. Under her leadership, Baylor recently finished 21st at the NCAA Championship. During her tenure, Baylor appeared in the Championship four times in the last five seasons.   In her first season at SMU, Ludwig and the Mustangs made the NCAA Regional for the third straight season. Mackenzie Lee was named an honorable-mention All-American in the season. Lee was also named all-conference in the program's first year in the ACC. Lee and Emily Odwin posted the first and third best scoring season in SMU history under Ludwig. Ludwig also helped Odwin make an appearance at the US Women's Open and Lee a start at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. During 2025, Ludwig helped Mackenzie Lee in making the Augusta National Women’s Amateur where she finished in the top 11 with a hole in one. Emily Odwin won her US Open Qualifier and earned a bid to the US Women’s Open. Ludwig caddied for Odwin during the prestigous tournament. Grace Jin, who joined the SMU roster in the summer of 2025, won the Texas Women’s Amateur Championship for back-to-back victories at the tournament. Both Jin and Lee earned spots at the US Women’s Amateur in Bandon Dunes taking place in August of 2025. Carrying on the SMU legacy of victories at Pinehurst No. 2 (Payne Stewart-1999 US Open & Bryson DeChambeau-2024 US Open) Mackenzie Lee won the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. She also recorded her third hole in one of the calendar year during the tournament. As of July of 2025, four returning Mustangs are ranked in the top 400 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings: Mackenzie Lee (No. 32), Emily Odwin (No.156), Grace Jin (No. 259) and Celine Chen (No. 374). Ludwig was a 2023-24 Arnold Palmer Assistant Coach Finalist. She is a current member of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Board as the Assistant Coach representative. She has coached an individual champion in each of the last five seasons and has helped the Bears land six All-American honors.   The Bears secured 14 team titles over the past six seasons and broke nine of 13 program records. While Ludwig was on staff, the Bears had six All-Big 12 selections and seven different players named to the All-Big 12 Tournament Team.   In the 2020-21 season, the Bears set a Big 12 record with five consecutive team titles to open their season, achieving the No. 1 national ranking for the first time in program history.   Prior to her six-year stint at Baylor, Ludwig was part of the staff at San Diego State. During her time there, the Aztecs experienced their most successful run in program history, narrowly missing their first-ever NCAA Championship appearance by one stroke in 2018. SDSU appeared in the NCAA Regional in all three seasons with Ludwig on staff.   Before SDSU, Ludwig led Central Connecticut State, where she was named Northeast Conference Coach of the Year. In the 2014-15 season, she also served as the acting head coach for the CCSU men's team.   As a collegiate athlete, Ludwig was a three-year letterwinner at Cal State San Marcos. She earned First Team All-American honors as a senior after placing sixth at the 2008 NAIA Championship. She was a two-time team captain and earned NAIA Region II Player of the Year after winning the regional tournament title.   Ludwig graduated with a degree in Kinesiology from Cal State San Marcos in 2008. She spent three years on staff at Santaluz Club in San Diego, gaining experience as a golf instructor for both adult and junior players, and managing the course’s tournament operations. Ludwig also competed professionally for two years on the Symetra Tour from 2009 through 2011.

Roric Fink is entering his second season at SMU as the Associate Head Coach in 2025-26. In his first season back on the Hilltop in 2024-25, the Mustangs embarked on their first season as a member of the ACC. During the season, SMU worked on rewriting the record books, posting 33 new Top-10 times along with new school records in the 100 & 200 back and the 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. The Mustangs also reached NCAA standards in four different relays, competing in three at the NCAA Championships. The accomplishments weren't just limited to the pool, as 16 Mustangs landed on the All-ACC Academic Team following the season. In addition, four different SMU swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors, while Eric Stelmar picked up CSC Third Team Academic All-America accolades.  Prior to rejoining the Mustangs, Fink spent two seasons at Arizona as an assistant and associate head coach. This was his second stint with the program, previously serving in the same role from 2003-10. Fink has spent time on the Hilltop before, helping out as a volunteer assistant back in 2022. The 1986 graduate of Whitworth College served as an associate head coach at Texas for eight years from 2012-20 and prior to that he held the same role at Missouri for two seasons. He also boasts extensive and impressive club coaching experience, having built one of the nation's top aquatics clubs, Ford Aquatics, while in Tucson. While there, he steered the development of Lacey Nymeyer, Dave Rollins, Tyler DeBerry, and Marcus Titus, all of whom went on to win NCAA National Championships with Arizona.

Callie McKinney enters her first season as an assistant coach for the SMU women’s soccer program in 2025. McKinney comes to the Hilltop after spending the 2024 season as the head coach of the women’s soccer program at Bellarmine. In McKinney's first season overseeing the program, she guided Bellarmine to its first ASUN Tournament berth in three years and pushed the Knights to the quarterfinals after a first-round PK shootout win over Austin Peay. BU set new Division I-era program records for total wins and ASUN victories while garnering its first-ever ASUN postseason superlative award and landing a program-record three All-ASUN accolades. In total, McKinney spent five seasons at Bellarmine (2020-2024).  Before being promoted to head coach in March of 2024, she joined the women’s soccer staff as a graduate assistant in the summer of 2020 and was promoted to full-time assistant coach prior to the fall 2021 season. In 2023, McKinny helped guide Emma Nicholson to second-team All-ASUN recognition while midfielder Sydni Whitehead was named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. In 2022, Bellarmine was one of the top defensive units in the ASUN, ranking second in the conference in goals-against average (0.88) while tying for third in shutouts (eight). Goalkeeper Elyssa Francis garnered All-ASUN plaudits, and midfielder Alexa Orozco was an ASUN All-Freshman Team selection. In the fall of 2021, McKinney helped Bellarmine advance to the ASUN Tournament semifinals for the first time in program history. Her first season with the Knights coincided with BU’s first in D1.  In their inaugural season in the ASUN, the Knights saw two players recognized with All-ASUN honors In the summer of 2023, McKinney was the head coach of the USL Racing Louisville W League team. McKinney was a starting midfielder at the University of Louisville from 2016-19. She appeared in 72 games with 67 starts over her four-year tenure with the Cardinals. She was a two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection and helped U of L earn NCAA Tournament berths her final two years in the program, which included a 13-5-2 senior campaign in 2019 where she delivered the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Clemson. McKinney played in the summer of 2019 with the Nashville Rhythm and garnered Southeast All-Conference Team accolades from the Women's Premier Soccer League. A native of Franklin, Tennessee, and an All-State performer at Franklin High School, McKinney earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science at Louisville and a master’s degree in health science at Bellarmine  

Bridgette Owens is entering her second season with the SMU Track & Field program and her first year as Assistant Coach for Sprints and Hurdles. She continues to serve as the team’s Director of Operations, a role she held exclusively during the 2024–25 season. Owens served a vital role in bringing track and field back to Dallas in her first year as part of the program. SMU hosted its first track meet in 27 years during the 2024-25 season, and she held the role of Day Of Meet Director for the SMU Invitational. Before joining SMU, Owens served as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois during the 2023–24 season. While in Champaign, she played a key role in guiding the Fighting Illini to the 2024 Big Ten Indoor Championship title. That same year, she coached the women’s 4x100-meter relay team to a school-record time of 43.50, breaking a 28-year-old program mark and advancing to the NCAA Final Round for the first time since 2016. Prior to Illinois, Owens was an assistant coach at UTEP for the 2022–23 season. She helped the Miners sweep the 2023 Conference USA Track Athlete of the Year honors, mentoring women’s honoree Marissa Simpson to C-USA titles in the 60m and 100m hurdles, along with second-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. Owens previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Western Michigan (2019–2022) and began her collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Cal State Northridge. As an athlete, Owens was a seven-time NCAA All-American at Clemson University and the University of Florida. She graduated from UF as the school record holder in both the 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles. A Detroit native, she competed in the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials and placed 10th at the 2019 USA Outdoor Championships under the coaching of Olympic coach Lawrence "Boogie" Johnson. Owens holds a bachelor’s degree in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in business administration and human resources from DeVry University.

Daniel O’Hare enters his second season as an assistant coach for the SMU women’s soccer team in 2026, primarily working with the goalkeepers. O'Hare arrived on the Hilltop in 2025 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt. During his time in Nashville, O'Hare led the goalkeeper development program, ensuring technical and tactical growth while also designing and implementing a goalkeeper game model that complements the team's system of play. He also developed customized training sessions in a high-performance environment, utilizing video and data analysis to assess performance and provide tactical insights. His goalkeepers recorded three of the top 10 lowest GAA in Vanderbilt history under his watch and finished Kate Devine and Sara Wojoelko their careers at Vandy inside the top-5 for the lowest career GAA. Devine and Wojoelko also rank inside the top five in Vandy history in most shutouts in a single season. Under O’Hare’s guidance, both keepers developed into professional players as Kate Devine signed with Breidablik in Iceland, a UEFA Champions League participant, and Sara Wojdelko signed with Washington Spirit in the NWSL after their time at Vanderbilt. O'Hare's goalkeepers posted a record of 30-14-16, 27 shutouts, 0.92 goals conceded per game, helping lead the Commodores to two NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the second round in 2022, Vanderbilt’s first NCAA appearance in program history and the third round in 2024 after the team defeated the then-reigning national champions Florida State on penalty kicks in the second round. He also played a significant role in Vanderbilt's recruiting efforts, assisting with scouting and student-athlete recruitment, including campus visits. With his expertise in video analytics, O'Hare is also a Performance Analyst for the US Soccer Youth National Team, providing critical insight for Talent ID's and technical and tactical trends. Prior to his time at Vanderbilt, O'Hare was at Arkansas State (2017-22), where he spent five seasons as an assistant coach and graduate assistant with the women's soccer program. During his time at Arkansas State, the team won two Sunbelt Regular -season Championships and posted a record of 48-28-12, with 35 clean sheets and 0.88 goals conceded per game. He personally oversaw the development of goalkeeper Megan Mcclure broke all ASU goalkeeper records during her time with the team. Mcclure was named Sunbelt goalkeeper of the year in 2021 and 2022. After Arkansas State, she signed with Vllaznia in Albania, a UEFA Champions League participant. Holds a USSF ‘B’ License, Statsbomb Analyzing Football Certification, and a USC Advanced National Goalkeeper Diploma. O'Hare received a bachelor's degree from Tennessee Wesleyan before earning his first master's degree during his time at Arkansas State.    

SMU men’s golf added Cory Donnell to its staff as assistant coach (2024-25). He enters his second season with the team in 2025-26. In his lone year on the Hilltop, DOnnell helped the Mustangs to two tournament victories at the Vaqueros Intercollegiate and the Hal Williams Collegiate. The team advanced out of the stroke play portion of the ACC Championship in their first year in the conference. The Mustangs captured three individual crowns (Will Sides-Stephens Cup, Zach Kingsland-Trinity Forest Invitation & Hal Williams).   Donnell spent the previous season at Baylor.  With Donnell on staf at Baylorf, the Bears reached the NCAA Championship in 2024 advancing past the 54-hole cut. The 14th-place national showing was the Bears’ third best all-time finish. They won a team title at the Aggie Invitational and finished in fourth at the Big 12 Championship, their best performance in 21 seasons.   Prior to Baylor, Donnell spent two seasons as assistant coach at Charleston Southern. In 2022-23, The Buccaneers won a team title at the VCU Shootout and finished one stroke shy of a conference championship. In 2021, after winning a conference title, the Bucs earned a bid to the 2021 Palm Beach NCAA Regional the program’s first NCAA appearance since 2015.   Prior to joining the collegiate coaching rankings, Donnell spent two seasons as an assistant pro at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland, his hometown.   Donnell competed at Abilene Christian where he saw action in five tournaments over the course of two seasons. While at ACU, Donnell earned a Bachelor of Science in 2019.   Prior to ACU, Donnell spent two years at McLennan Community College from 2014-16. He was an All-American both seasons.   Donnell is married to Lydia Donnell who he met playing golf at McLennan.  

Walker McAlister joined the SMU women’s golf staff as Assistant Coach in September of 2025 after spending time working for the Northern Texas PGA.   McAlister spent two stints working with the Northern Texas PGA most recently in Championship Tournament Operations assisting in the planning and set up of professional golf tournaments including the Texas State Open, Texas Women’s Open and the Professionals Championship. He served in that position from May to August of 2025. He spent the previous summer also with the Northern Texas PGA as a Junior Tournament Operations Intern.   McAlister graduated from Ole Miss in May of 2025 with BBA in Marketing. While in college, McAlister was a Football Recruiting Specialist, working closely with the team to facilitate campus tours, presentation and meeting with coaches for new recruits.   Before college, McAlister worked for Providence Golf Club near his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.  

Tom Dougherty joined the SMU staff in the summer of 2023 after a stint as the Head Masters Coach and Assistant Junior Coach at the Nashville Rowing Club since March of 2022.  At Nashville Rowing, he oversaw many aspects of the program including designing training, deciding which regattas to travel, heading the adult competitive, development and learn-to-row programs, and assisting with all aspects of the junior program.  Dougherty’s previous rowing work included serving as the Head Coach of the Rowing program at Oklahoma City University. Dougherty led the men’s and women’s program during his time in Oklahoma City. The Stars excelled during his stint and were represented by student-athletes at the Under 23 World Championship. He coached the team to a gold medal at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2018.  Prior to Oklahoma City, Dougherty was head women’s coach of the New York Athletic Club where he was responsible for a array of aspects of the program from recruitment to travel to developing training plans. He coached three Olympic and National team members while heading the program including two members of the USA Women’s 8+ in 2020 Olympics. He also coached a member of the 2017 and 2018 USA Under 23 Lightweight Men’s 4x and 1x.  Dougherty was the Assistant Coach at Iona’s men’s and women’s program before New York. His primary duties came with the women’s program. He handled recruitment and administrative tasks such as compliance, medical clearance, and roster management.  Doughtery made stops as Master’s Rowing Coach at Pelham Community Rowing Association, Junior Rowing Coach at West Side Rowing Club and Assistant Rowing Coach at Jacksonville University. At Jacksonville, the program took home a conference championship during his time there and won a Dad Vail Gold medal.  Dougherty got his B.A. from Marietta College in Ohio, majoring in broadcasting and minoring in journalism. He was coxswain for three years at Marietta and captained the team. 

Peyton Matthews joins the SMU rowing staff after a standout All-American career at SMU. Matthews competed from 2018-2022 with Mustangs rowing earning several all-conference honors. In her senior season, Matthews led the Mustangs to a conference title and an 11th place finish at the NCAA Championship. Matthews competed with the first varsity eight as they claimed a third straight conference title for that boat. She was selected as a Pocock CRCA All-American Honorable Mention for her performance in 2021-22. She served as team captain. In 2020-21, Matthews also was named CRCA/Pocock All-American Honorable Mention. She competed with the first varsity eight boat that finished 13th overall at the NCAA Championship. Her boat was named AAC Boat of the Year after winning another conference title as the Mustang won the AAC crown for the first time. She was named team captain for the season. Her sophomore season was cut short due to COVID after just one meet. In her first year on the Hilltop, Matthews was named AAC All-Academic along with competing in a successful first varsity eight boat. The 1v8 was named Boat of the Year by the AAC after they finished in first at the AAC Championship.  

Susanna Temming was hired in August of 2024 as Assistant Coach for SMU Rowing. As a native of The Netherlands, she came to SMU after rowing at The University of Texas at Austin and spending one year as Assistant Coach at Texas Rowing Center.    At The University of Texas at Austin, Temming competed for four seasons and won two National Championships in the First Varsity Eight. Temming was also a nine-time member of the Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll. She was a two-time recipient of Academic Provost Award (4.0 GPA For Semester), and was named a CRCA National Scholar Athlete twice.   While working in Austin, she assisted in the coaching of the High Performance Team. She also was the Assistant Coach for Junior Varsity Men and Advanced Masters leading to several athletes’ success in national competitions. She served as Assistant Diversity Coordinator & Assistant Coach for Texas Rowing For All.  Temming graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Educational Psychology in May of 2023.   She also competed with the Dutch National Rowing Team winning a Silver medal at the U23 World Rowing Championships in 2021, a Bronze medal at the U23 European Rowing Championships in 2020, and a Bronze medal at the U19 Junior World Rowing Championships in 2018. She is a four-time Dutch National Champion.  

Greer comes to SMU from Nashville Rowing where he was the Adult Program Director and an Assistant Coach with the junior men and women. In Nashville, he coached over 200 athletes with a wide range of ages and varying levels of experience.   While at Nashville Rowing, he was also a Volunteer Assistant Coach at Vanderbilt University. He served the women’s varsity squad that won the Women's Collegiate 4+ at the 2023 Head of the Charles Regatta and were the eventual 2024 ACRA National Champions in the Women's Varsity 8+.   Max is a US Rowing Level II Certified Coach. Greer received his bachelor's in art history and communications from Loyola University Maryland in 2023, where he was a five-year varsity rower. He served as team captain in his final year, leading the greyhounds to all-time program best finishes at the Dad Vail Regatta. 

Michael King is entering his first season as SMU's assistant coach (2021). King joins as an assistant coach after spending two seasons as the team's graduate assistant. During the 2019 and 2020-21 seasons, King helped coach the Mustangs to an overall record of 23-7-2 record and two American Athletic Conference Tournament appearances, including a tournament championship in 2019. The Mustangs also made an appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Quarterfinals.   Prior to returning to the Hilltop as a staff member, King was a standout defender from 2012 to 2016. The Spring, Texas native saw action in 60 games, including 49 starts, throughout four seasons while tallying one assist and nine shots. King helped anchor a Mustang backline that totaled 20 shutouts during his four seasons on the pitch.   While playing for SMU, King contributed to teams that won two regular season conference championships and earned two bids to the NCAA Tournament. 2012 saw him named to the Conference USA All-Freshman and in 2013, he was selected to the SMU Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Former SMU standout swimmer Caleb Rhodenbaugh has joined the SMU staff as an assistant coach in July of 2024. During Rhodenbaugh's first season as an assistant coach in 2024-25, the Mustangs embarked on their first season as a member of the ACC. During the season, SMU worked on rewriting the record books, posting 33 new Top-10 times along with new school records in the 100 & 200 back and the 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. The Mustangs also reached NCAA standards in four different relays, competing in three at the NCAA Championships. The accomplishments weren't just limited to the pool, as 16 Mustangs landed on the All-ACC Academic Team following the season. In addition, four different SMU swimmers earned CSC Academic All-District honors, while Eric Stelmar picked up CSC Third Team Academic All-America accolades.  Rhodenbaugh rejoined the Mustangs after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Drury, helping the men’s program to back-to-back NCAA-II runner-up finishes and a Great Lakes Conference Championship for both the men and the women in 2023. In addition, he assisted in the coaching multiple national champions on both the men’s and women’s side. During his time as a swimmer with the Mustangs, he set program records in the 100 and 200 breast and won eight AAC Championships. Rhodenbaugh was a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier, named all-conference in 11 events and was the 2022 Most Outstanding Swimmer in the AAC. He also posted a US Olympic Trial cut in 2021. His senior year he won Most Valuable Male Student Athlete for SMU Athletics at the Pony Awards. Rhodenbaugh is the son of men’s swimming & diving head coach, Greg Rhodenbaugh, who was also a standout swimmer for the Mustangs.

Lavenant joined the SMU Diving staff after competing for five years at LSU. She is a nine-time NCAA Honorable Mention All-American (Three-Meter x2) (One-Meter x3) (Platform x4), 14-time NCAA Qualifier, 2025 NCAA Runner-Up (Platform), 2025 SEC Co-Diver of the year and 2025 CSCAA All-American (1m & Platform-First Team). A decorated collegiate diver, Lavenant was the 2025 SEC Champion (Platform), 2024 NCAA Runner-Up (Platform), 2024 SEC Female Diver of the Year, 2024 SEC Female Diver of the Meet, 2024 SEC Champion (Three-Meter), 2024 SEC Silver Medalist (Platform), 2024 SEC Bronze Medalist (One-Meter), 2023 NCAA Runner-Up (Platform), 2023 SEC Champion (Platform), 2023 Two-time SEC Female Diver of the Week, 2021 SEC Freshman Diver of the Year 2021 Two-time SEC Female Diver of the Week x2 and 2021 SEC Freshman of the week. The Tijuana, Mexico, native holds the LSU program record on platform (375.40). On the international stage, Lavenant placed 8th on platform at the 2020 Tokyo World Cup.

The 2013 National Championship Head Coach and CSCAA Coach of the Year Mike Bottom is entering his first season with the Mustangs after joining the staff as an assistant coach in July of 2024. Bottom brings a championship pedigree to the Hilltop, having served at Michigan as the men's head coach for swimming from 2008 until his retirement in 2023. In 2013, he also became the head coach for the women's program. Under his guidance, Bottom led the men's program to the 2013 NCAA Championship. During his time with the Wolverines, the program captured 12 Big Ten titles over a 15-year stretch on the men's side. As the head coach for the women, the Wolverines had three consecutive Big Ten titles from 2016 until 2018 and 11 NCAA top-10 finishes. His coaching resume is among the most decorated in the Big Ten's history, having coached nine National Champions — including one relay team. Bottom has led 51 athletes to become CSCAA All-Americans and 140 Big Ten individual champions. For his accomplishments, Bottom was named the 2013 CSCAA Swimming Coach of the Year and was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year nine times — two times on the women's side and seven times for the men. His coaching success extends beyond collegiate competition, having coached at the past six Olympic Games. He served as an assistant coach for Team USA at Rio's 2016 Games. The Akron, Ohio native got his start on the coaching scene by serving as an assistant for Auburn from 1991 through 1994, as well as USC from 1995 until 1997. His first head coaching job was at California, where he was the men's swimming co-head coach in 1997. As a swimmer, Bottom was a five-time All-American and four-time USA National Team member. He qualified for the 100-meter fly in the 1980 Olympic Games, but did not compete due to the United States boycott of Moscow's games.

Kent Hunter was named an assistant coach by Grant Chen following the SMU's 2023-24 season. Hunter grew up playing tennis in Compton, Ca. and would go on to compete at the highest levels of collegiate tennis. Beginning his college tennis career at a junior college in California, Hunter became one of the best players in junior college losing only one match in singles and doubles before transferring to Cal. While at Cal, Hunter was named one of the best college tennis players from Southern California making the USTA All-College Team. Finally, he ended his college tennis career at LSU and was awarded All-SEC honors in both singles and doubles during his final year of college tennis. Hunter is also an accomplished pickleball player and coach, competing in multiple professional pickleball tournaments around the country while also being a PPR Certified pickleball instructor. 

Ashley Mort came to SMU during the 2010-11 season and is responsible for coaching heptathlon.  In his time on the Hilltop (entering 2021-22), the Mustangs have captured three American Athletic Conference team championships (2014 Indoor, 2014 Outdoor, 2015 Outdoor) with SMU's coaching staff winning Coaching Staff of the Year each time. He has worked with SMU All-Americans Lucija Cvitanovic (javelin, heptathlon), Victoria Leks (high jump), Lisa Egarter (high jump), Isabella Marten (triple jump) and Nicole Iloanya (triple jump).  Olivia Dobson claimed the SMU pentathlon record under Mort’s guidance with a score of 4,040. He coached seven of the nine athletes on SMU’s top indoor performance list for the pentathlon, and four of the ten athletes on SMU’s top outdoor performance list for the heptathlon. This past season, he helped usher SMU into a new era — joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and hosting the first home meet in 27 years. From 2003 to 2010, Mort coached the short sprinters and jumpers at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. where members of his group accounted for over 15 conference championships spanning a variety of events (55m/100m/200m/long jump/triple jump/high jump), three conference records(55m/triple jump/high jump), and 2 All-Americans (55m/long jump). Mort holds coaching certifications from USATF (level 3 jumps), the IAAF (level 5 combined events and sprints & hurdles), and USTFCCCA (combined events). Mort received a bachelor's degree in computer science from Juniata College when he graduated in 2002 as the school record holder in the 55m and 200m events.   All-American Honors Lucija Cvitanovic: Javelin (2013 Outdoor, 2nd Team - 2015 Outdoor, Honorable Mention), Heptathlon (2014 Outdoor, Honorable Mention - 2016 Outdoor, 2nd Team) Viktoria Leks: High Jump (2011 Outdoor, 2nd Team) Lisa Egarter: High Jump (2011 Outdoor, Honorable Mention)   Isabella Marten: Triple Jump (2015 Outdoor, 2nd Team) Nicole Iloanya: Triple Jump (2018 Outdoor, Honorable Mention) Conference Champions 2016 Outdoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Heptathlon 2015 Outdoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Heptathlon 2014 Outdoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Heptathlon 2014 Outdoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Javelin 2014 Indoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Pentathlon 2013 Outdoor: Lucija Cvitanovic - Javelin

Laura Persons is entering her fifth season as an assistant jumping seat coach for SMU Equestrian in 2025-26. In her fourth season, Persons helped SMU continue to solidify its place at the top of the sport. The Mustangs started off 3-4, but rattled off seven consecutive victories to close the regular season to earn the No. 1 overall seed for the NCEA Championships in Ocala. SMU would advance to the finals for the fourth time in the last five seasons, before falling to Georgia. Persons led the Jumping Seat side to play a large part in SMU's resurgence in the spring season. The Mustangs went 6-3-1 in the discipline after January 1st. The success led to Elli Yeager earning First Team Ariat All-America accolades on the Flat and Honorable Mention honor in Fences along with Augusta Iwasaki getting Honorable Mention honors on the Flat. Iwasaki later earned the NCEA Championship MOP in Fences, and Hannah Hoch and Iwasaki were both named to the All-Championship Team for Fences. In Persons' third season, she helped lead SMU to its second consecutive NCEA Dual Discipline National Championship. Under Persons, the SMU Jumping Seat arena was awarded an NCEA Rider of the Year, two Nationals MOPs and two All-Championship Team honorees. Persons helped SMU's Jumping Seat events earn an overall record of 11-3-2, and had two All-America selections. In Persons' second season on the Hilltop, she helped guide SMU to a historic season. The Mustangs finished the year with a program-best 13-1 record and won the program’s first NCEA National Championship. Persons helped mentor Augusta Iwasaki, Madigan Eppink, Emma Engel and Hensley Humphries to All-America status.  In Person’s first year as the Jumping Seat Coach, SMU added its fourth consecutive ECAC Conference title and finished No. 3 in the final NCEA poll of the season. The Mustangs were 11-7 on the year and 4-1 in the conference. At the NCEA Championships in Ocala, Florida, SMU took down No. 1 Auburn in convincing fashion 12-8 in the quarterfinals. Persons helped Taylor Madden earn the nod as a first-team all-America selection in the Flat and NCEA co-Rider of the Year, along with freshman Elli Yeager earning second-team honors in Fences. Person's first season saw Hensley Humphries be named as the  ECAC Freshman of the Year honors.      Persons joined the Mustangs following a successful stint at the Dallas Equestrian Center. Her top students have gone on to earn top-10 finishes at Junior Hunter Finals, Championships and Circuit Championships in the High Junior Jumper division at WEF, Team Gold at the NAYRC in Traverse City, Michigan, and a spot on the Young Rider's Nations Cup team for the United States for the upcoming finals.    Persons started showing on the national "A" circuit when she was seven years old and has competed in and won at many of the premier horse shows in North America, including Indio, Ocala, Spruce Meadows, Culpepper, the Olympic Park in Atlanta, Great Southwest Equestrian Center, The Colorado Horse Park, the Kentucky Horse Park, and Tryon International Equestrian Center.   Standout career finishes for Persons include winning the Duncan Ross' Associates Stake Class in Spruce Meadows, Canada in 2000 as well as having multiple wins in the Large Junior Hunters at HITS Winter Circuit. Persons also developed numerous young hunters and jumpers that have won multiple year end awards both the zone finals and national finals.   In 2006, Persons moved to Houston and worked as an assistant for Tony Font before starting her own training business in Austin. As the owner and head trainer at Serendipity Farms Austin for 13 years, Persons ran the hunter jumper training program, overseeing operations, training and staff for 50 horses. While competing numerous young prospects in both the hunter and jumper arenas to national awards, she also amassed a resume of successful students. Persons' students have been successful at a national level, earning top-10 placings at events such as $50,000 USHJA International Derbies, and Zone 7 year-end awards and Pony finals. Persons has spent over 15 years teaching and training both riders and horses. Throughout her career, Persons has been privileged to study under and work with some of the nation's top riders and trainers, including Peter Pletcher, Nona Garson, Anne Kursinski, Chris Kappler and Bernie Traurig. Persons earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Cornell University. She has two sons, Buck and Quin, who live with her in Dallas.

Jason was born in Los Angeles, CA. He has one brother, Adam Sraberg. And parents Brad and Karen Sraberg. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends, playing video games, and watching Netflix. He is a junior majoring in Sports Management.

Haochen Hsueh (Jammie) enters her second season as a sport scientist in SMU Women’s Soccer team After coming to the Hilltop in 2024 Prior to SMU, she was the strength and conditioning graduate assistant for Women’s Soccer team and Women’s Basketball team at Springfield College for an year. As a strength and conditioning graduate assistant, Jammie was responsible for designed and implemented the lifting, speed and agility and conditioning program while also utilizing Catapult GPS, VALD force plate and Polar heart rate to inform coaching decision. Prior to Springfield College, Jammie had strength and conditioning internships at Quinnipiac University and Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning. Before that, she was the strength and conditioning coach at private sector in Taiwan for three years. Jammie has a bachelor's degree in Finance and International Business from Fu Jen Catholic University and a master's degree in Strength and Conditioning  from Springfield College. Jammie is originally from Taiwan and currently resides in Dallas, Texas.  

Paula Woodbury enters her second season as director of operations for the SMU women's soccer prorgam in 2025.  Woodbury officially joins the Nelson staff after spending multiple summers assisting with the SMU Girls Soccer Summer Camps, and will now take over director of camp duties as well.  Prior to coming to the Hilltop she served in multiple campus recruiting roles locally and nationally while at Ernst & Young including recruiting for audit and tax, financial services and actuarial services.   Woodbury received her bachelor and master's degree from Baylor University.  She began her career as a College Admission Counselor for Baylor University.  After completing her Masters, she moved to Dallas and began working for Ernst & Young in campus recruiting. While taking a hiatus to raise her children she volunteered ferociously in various PTA, Booster Club and church roles, became a certified Cross Fit Coach and completed two dozen marathons, five Half Ironmans and two Ironmans. She spends her free time reading, cooking, managing the family calendar and gleefully attending her children’s numerous musical concerts.  

Cathy Woosley Luse was announced as SMU Equestrian’s Assistant Western Coach in July 2025. Prior to joining the Mustangs, Woosley Luse coached at the University of South Carolina. During her single season with the Gamecocks, she helped coach the team to a 2025 SEC Championship. Throughout her collegiate career at Midway University, she earned multiple equestrian accolades including a national championship in Open Horsemanship and the IHSA High Point Western Riders. A second-generation professional horsewoman, Woosley Luse brings in a vast amount of experience to the SMU Mustangs. Her father, Clayton Woosley is a National Reining Horse Association Hall of Fame inductee, guiding her as she grew up showing all-around and reining events on the AQHA, APHA, and NRHA circuits.