General 2/20/2026 9:00:00 AM

Building the Next Play: Jess Smith ’25 and Life After Bryn Mawr

By: Maggie Balderstone

For Jess Smith '25, the path after Bryn Mawr hasn't been about stepping away from basketball — it's been about stepping deeper into it. Jessica Smith taken 1-25-25

A four-year member of the Bryn Mawr basketball program, Smith graduated in 2025 with a major in sociology and double minors in history and Africana Studies. During her career as an Owl, she made program history, scoring over 1,000 career points, earned spots on both the All-Centennial Second Team and City of Basketball Love All-Area Second Team.

While her time in black and yellow helped shape her competitive edge, it was the balance of athletics, academics, and leadership opportunities at Bryn Mawr that prepared her for what came next.

    Currently, Smith is an Academic Support and Unitas Intern in Villanova Athletics, a dual-role position that allows her to work     closely with student-athletes both in and beyond the classroom. On the academic support side, she advises student-athletes     on course registration, academic progress, and connects them with tutoring and campus resources. Through Unitas —     Villanova's community, culture, and engagement initiative — Smith helps oversee seven student-athlete affinity groups and     assists with professional development programming for both athletes and staff.

    The transition from Division III to Division I athletics has been eye-opening, Smith said, particularly in seeing the scale of     resources and support available to student-athletes. But she credits her Bryn Mawr experience for preparing her to thrive in that     environment.

    "Being a Division III athlete really sets you up," Smith shared. "At Bryn Mawr, you're     involved in so many things outside of athletics, and that experience helps you understand                                                         how to lead, manage your time, and work across departments."

That mindset was something Smith practiced throughout her undergraduate career. Beyond basketball, she served as co-president and senior advisor of the Bryn Mawr Athletic Alliance, worked as a Community Diversity Assistant, fitness center monitor, service club treasurer, and even assisted with athletic communications during her senior year.

"It felt like I had three jobs at all times on top of athletics," she laughed — a grind that now feels familiar in the fast-paced world of college athletics.

Alongside her internship at Villanova, Smith has also taken her first steps into a college coaching career as an assistant coach at Haverford College.
What began as a realization during her playing days — leading offseason workouts, captain's practices, and skill development sessions — has evolved into a passion for teaching the game and helping others grow.

Haverford HS Women?s Basketball11-25-25

"I realized I really enjoy the skill development piece and seeing other people improve," Smith said. "That's when it clicked that coaching could be something I wanted to pursue."

Now on the sideline instead of the court, Smith has embraced the challenge of shifting from player to authority figure. While the transition hasn't always been easy, she's grown confident in her voice and perspective, recognizing how much knowledge she gained as a student-athlete.

Her connection to Bryn Mawr remains strong. Smith credits Coach Carla Coleman and the rest of the Owls coaching staff — Jerron Phillips Sr. and Daryl Lloyd — with having a lasting impact on her development as both a player and a young professional.

Coleman and Smith at Banquest 2025

"Coach Coleman and I started at Bryn Mawr together," Smith said. "It felt like we were building the program side by side. Seeing the culture and legacy continue to grow is really special."

That support hasn't ended since graduation. Smith still leans on her former coaches for advice, and the relationships she built at Bryn Mawr continue to shape her journey.

One of her most meaningful experiences outside of athletics came through Bryn Mawr's 360° program, where she participated in a spring-break course cluster focused on feminism in Latin America, culminating in a class trip to Colombia. For Smith, it felt like a study-abroad experience she wouldn't have otherwise been able to have as a student-athlete.

As she looks ahead, Smith hopes to remain involved in basketball — whether through coaching, basketball operations, or continued work in athletics administration. While her long-term plans are still taking shape, she's embracing the grind and staying open to where the game might take her next.

Her advice to current Bryn Mawr student-athletes is simple but powerful: take advantage of every opportunity.

"Bryn Mawr has so many resources and so much support around you," Smith said.

"Be involved, try different things, and use those experiences to set yourself up for whatever comes next."

For Smith, Bryn Mawr wasn't just a place she played basketball — it was the foundation for a career built on leadership, connection, and a lifelong love for the game.

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