JONESBORO, Ark. - Former Northwest women's soccer volunteer assistant coach Katie Smith has joined Arkansas State University as an assistant coach, the school announced last Thursday.

Smith spent one season with the Lady Rangers, helping Northwest to a 15-2-3 overall record and the program's first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship tournament, where NWCC advanced to the national semifinals. For their efforts, Smith and the rest of coach James Beattie's staff earned MACCC Women's Soccer Coaching Staff of the Year and United Soccer Coaches' Women's Junior College Division II Mid-South Region Staff of the Year.

"I am super excited for Katie and this next step on her coaching journey," Beattie said. "Giving both players and coaches the platform to progress within the game is what this program is all about, and this is another example of that. I can't wait to watch her progress within the NCAA Division I ranks."

In addition to Northwest, Smith also held coaching experience with clubs Lobos Rush, Tri-City FC, Collierville Middle School and Fayette Academy. As a player, Smith was the inaugural captain for the Southwest Tennessee Community College women's soccer program, leading the squad to a TCCAA runner-up in the second year of the program's existence.

After Southwest Tennessee, she went on to LSU-Shreveport where she was a dual-sport athlete and later earned her bachelor's degree in special education from Freed-Hardeman University this past spring.

Arkansas State is coached by Brian Dooley. The Red Wolves finished 9-6-3 last season and 7-2-1 in the Sun Belt Conference.