Cornell Names Melissa Batie-Smoose Head Volleyball Coach

Story courtesy of Cornell Athletic Communications

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Melissa Batie-Smoose, who has spent nearly 20 years coaching at nearly every collegiate level, has been named The Wendy Schaenen '79 Head Coach Of Volleyball at Cornell University. The announcement was made by Andy Noel, the Meakem*Smith Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Cornell.

Batie-Smoose was the most successful head coach in the history of Savannah College of Art & Design, guiding the team to an 81-43 overall record (.653). The 2009 Sun Conference Coach of the Year led her squad to a conference tournament title and an appearance in the NAIA national tournament. That team ranked as high as 20th nationally. She previously served as head coach at Nova Southeastern University (2005), helping recruit a core of players that would advance to the Elite Eight of the 2008 NCAA Division Division II tournament.

While serving as a head coach at the NAIA and Division II levels, Batie-Smoose has also served as an assistant coach in the ACC, SEC, Conference USA and Missouri Valley Conferences. She spent two seasons as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State (2006-08) and two years as an assistant at Wake Forest (2003-04), a year at Creighton (1998) and four seasons at Charlotte (1992, 1994-96). Batie-Smoose also spent a year as a volunteer assistant at Florida (2000). After her first season at Charlotte, Batie-Smoose spent one year as an assistant volleyball and softball coach at Allegheny College (1993) before returning to assist the 49ers.

Batie-Smoose has also had great success at the junior level. She spent two seasons as the head coach of the Gainesville Juniors 16/1 Club Team. Ranked eighth nationally, they finished in the top 10 at nationals. One of her Gainesville pupils, Marcie Hampton, was named to the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team. Batie also coached Team Florida, part of the USA High Performance Program, that season and took them to the Volley Classic in Utah.

Batie earned a degree in sports administration from Southern Mississippi in 1991. She was a two-year starter for the Golden Eagles after transferring to Southern Miss from Texas Tech, where she played her first two years. A two-time team MVP for Southern Miss, Batie still ranks in the top 10 on the school's career list for solo blocks and total blocks and is on the single season charts for blocking assists.