Smay to Lead Pitt-Bradford men’s basketball

BRADFORD, PA. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has announced that Daniel
Smay has been hired as the seventh head coach in the men’s basketball program’s NCAA
history.
“I am excited to announce the hiring of Daniel Smay to lead the men’s basketball
program,” said Athletic Director Bret Butler. “Coach Smay is a strong leader with
experience leading programs to success. I believe he will help continue to build on the
program’s success in the future.”
Smay joins Pitt-Bradford after two seasons as Penn State-DuBois’s head men’s
basketball coach. With Smay at the helm, the Lions posted a 30-31 record, reached the
Penn State University Athletic Conference Tournament Championship for the first time
since 2012 and earned a bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association
National Championship Tournament. Smay was named the 2023-24 PSUAC Coach of
the Year.
“I am extremely grateful for Coach Butler and the search committee for selecting me to
take over this awesome program,” Smay said. “The Panthers had a great season under
Coach (Jesse) DeLoof last year, and it was fun to watch. We will keep the same
intensity, passion and effort as staples of the program going into the future.”
Prior to Penn State-DuBois, Smay held assistant coaching roles at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, Clearfield Area High School, Penn State Mont-Alto, and was a graduate
assistant at Florida State University. In his time as an assistant, Smay’s teams have
won one Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship at IUP and five
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District championships at Clearfield.
He also coached in the USCAA National Championship game at Mont Alto. At Florida
State, he coached in the National Invitational Tournament and worked with several
players who went on to play professionally.
In addition to his coaching duties, Smay also served as an assistant athletic director
from 2014-16 at Penn State Mont Alto and 2018-25 at Penn State DuBois. In these
roles, he has contributed to all aspects of Athletic Department operations, led summer
camps, and strengthened community engagement.
“I was very excited when I got to tour campus during my interview,” said Smay. “It is a
beautiful campus with a welcoming community. I can’t wait to get connected into it.”
Smay is a 2012 Graduate of Penn State-Mont Alto, holds a master’s degree in sport
management from Florida State and is currently working on a doctorate in strategic
leadership through Liberty University. He is also a veteran, having served 5 years in the
U.S. Marine Corps.