Utah State University Women's Volleyball

Keith Smith is entering his first year as head coach of Utah State volleyball after being named the 12th head coach in program history on Jan. 3, 2026. Smith brings extensive experience working within the USA Volleyball pipeline and most recently served as an assistant coach at TCU in 2025, helping guide the Horned Frogs to a 21-11 record and a win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. TCU appeared in every AVCA poll during the season and finished the 2025 campaign ranked No. 9, marking the first top-10 ranking in program history. The Horned Frogs also recorded a program-best six victories over top-25 opponents.    Before the 2025 season, Smith served as an assistant coach for the women's U21 national team at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup, helping Team USA capture a gold medal in Costa Rica. The team swept all five matches en route to the championship.   Smith spent three seasons (2022–24) as an assistant coach at Auburn. The Tigers posted back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a modern program-record 22 victories in 2022, and earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023 for the first time in school history. Auburn recorded six top-25 wins during his tenure, matching the program's combined total from the previous 15 seasons. In 2023, the Tigers also made their first-ever appearance in the AVCA Poll.   Working primarily with the setters, Smith helped elevate Auburn's offensive production. Jackie Barrett became the sixth setter in program history to reach 1,000 assists in a season, achieving the milestone in 2022 while earning SEC Setter of the Week honors twice. Barrett again surpassed 1,000 assists in 2023 and guided the Tigers to a .241 hitting percentage, the third-best in program history.   Smith also played a key role in planning and conducting daily practices, including skill development, game strategy, and preparing scouting reports.   Before Auburn, Smith served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Grand Canyon, helping the men's program emerge as a national contender. The Lopes recorded 19 wins over top-15 opponents, including a straight-set upset of No. 1 BYU in 2021, climbed as high as No. 6 in the AVCA Poll and produced five All-Americans.   An accomplished recruiter, Smith helped GCU secure the nation's No. 8-ranked signing class in 2021, highlighted by 10 of the top 50 recruits nationally. His work earned national recognition as a 2021 AVCA 30 Under 30 award winner, honoring the top coaches in the country under the age of 30.   As an assistant coach at Providence in 2017, he helped the team earn its first winning season in 10 years and its most conference wins since it rejoined the Big East.    In seven years with USA Volleyball, Smith has worked with the National Team Development Program, including the women's U21 national team in 2025 and as an assistant coach for the men's national team at the 2021 NORCECA Championships, where Team USA finished fifth.   During his collegiate career, Smith was a setter at Grand Canyon, finishing with a school record 4,484 career assists. He totaled 1,294 assists in 2013, ranking 10th all-time in NCAA history during the 25-point scoring era.   After college, Smith played professionally with Orion TopVolley in the Netherlands, helping the team finish in the top four in the regular season, playoffs and national club tournament. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports management and a master's degree in business administration from Grand Canyon University.   Smith and his wife, Kierstin, have one son, Theodore.

Tyler Schaible enters his first season at Utah State after being named assistant coach by head coach Keith Smith in March of 2026.  Schnaible joins the Aggies after spending last season at South Florida, helping the Bulls to an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament and a 17-13 overall record, including a 12-4 mark in AAC play with a semifinal run in the conference tournament. Schnaible helped three players earn all-AAC honors, including guiding outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade to her second-straight AAC Player of the Year award and AVCA All-Region Southeast First Team. Prior to USF, Schaible spent the previous yeat at James Madison, where he served as a volunteer assistant coach. While at JMU, he supported the coaching staff with daily practice planning, opponent film breakdown and scouting, and recruiting efforts. During the 2024 season, Schnaible helped the Dukes advanced to the Sun Belt Conference playoffs while two players earned all-conference honors. Prior to his time at James Madison, Schnaible served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for both the men’s and women’s volleyball programs at Nichols College. There, he contributed to transforming two underperforming programs into conference tournament contenders. In 2023, the men’s team finished with a 22-8 record and were crowned New England Collegiate Conference champions. For the first time in school history, the program earned an AVCA national ranking of 15th. Schnaible also coached three players to AVCA All-Region honors, as well as NECC All-Conference teams. On the women’s side, he recruited eight impact players, helping build a highly competitive roster that reached the playoffs for the first time in school history. Schnaible began his coaching career in 2017 at Shenendehowa High School in New York, where he stayed local for college to assist his high school coach. He helped coach the boys’ volleyball program to six sectional championships and three regional championships. In 2022, he was also a part of the team winning the New York State Championship and ranking first in the state of New York. While coaching with Shenendehowa, Schnaible also coached with Capital Sliders Volleyball Club. With the club, he had coached a wide range of all ages, from eight to eighteen, helping grow the game of boys’ volleyball and participating in many tournaments, both regional and national. Additionally, Coach Schnaible has worked with Gold Medal Squared clinics and various other high school, club, and collegiate camps and showcases.   Schnaible is a 2020 graduate who played as a middle and right-side hitter at Sage College and Adrian College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.