Bio

    Entering his 34th season as head coach of the University of Rio Grande women’s basketball program, David Smalley stands as one of the most accomplished and respected coaches in collegiate basketball.
     With a career record of 702–346 (.669), Smalley’s tenure reflects sustained excellence, competitive consistency, and a deep commitment to the growth of the program and the sport.
     Under his leadership, the RedStorm have earned 12 appearances in the NAIA National Tournament across both Division I and Division II levels. These include eight Division I appearances (1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and three Division II appearances (2008, 2015, 2018).
     His teams have also captured significant postseason success, highlighted by a Great Lakes Region Championship in 1997, back-to-back American Mideast Conference Tournament titles in 1999 and 2000, and River States Conference (RSC) Regular Season Championships in 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Additionally, the RedStorm claimed the RSC Tournament Championship in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
     The 2025–26 season marks another opportunity for continued excellence, as Smalley’s current squad pursues a fifth consecutive RSC Tournament title. His leadership has been recognized with nine Conference Coach of the Year awards, including a remarkable run from 2021–2024, during which his teams captured three consecutive regular season titles and four straight tournament championships.
     Smalley’s program has averaged 21 wins per season since 1992, with the peak coming during the 2021–22 season, when the RedStorm recorded a program-record 32 wins. That success continued into the 2022–23 season, which produced 30 wins and a Round of 16 appearance at the national level.
     His career résumé also includes Mid-Ohio Conference Championships in 1993 and 1994, a Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title in 2015, and an outstanding 114–19 record during the four-year RSC title run from 2021–2024.
     Currently ranked second among active NAIA head coaches in career victories, Smalley’s influence extends beyond individual success.
     The University of Rio Grande women’s basketball program ranks sixth all-time in program wins, with 1,013 victories. His contributions to the game have been honored with induction into the Peebles High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a player in 2015 and the University of Rio Grande Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach in 2016.
     Known for a fast-paced, high-scoring style of play, Smalley’s teams have led the NAIA in points per game in multiple seasons. Most notably, during the 2022–23 season, the RedStorm hosted and won the first-ever NAIA National Tournament Pod, advancing to the Round of Sixteen.
     A 1982 graduate of the University of Rio Grande, Smalley began his coaching career serving as the varsity girls’ head coach at Warren High School in Vincent, Ohio. He then would go on to be a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University, followed by a stint at Morehead State University as an assistant coach before returning to Rio Grande, where his legacy continues to grow.
     Coach Smalley is married to Margaret Evans, and they have one daughter, Evans Smalley. His unwavering dedication to the University of Rio Grande and to women’s basketball continues to drive the RedStorm toward sustained success and national prominence.

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