Columbia Lions head coach Kyle Smith have taken the Men’s basketball team from nothing to something since he walked into the door in 2010.
Before his arrival, Columbia struggled to maintain a winning record. Seven coaches have come and gone since Columbia won the Ivy Crown in 1968. Columbia was 86–108 in seven years under coach Joe Jones. A lot of losing, a lot of bad times. Then, Kyle Smith happened. He changed the culture of the Men’s basketball program and brought a winning attitude.
Under Kyle Smith, a pair of Columbia guards, Noruwa Agho and Brian Barhour were named All-Ivy League. Guard Agho was recognized on a regional level by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Metropolitan Writers. It doesn’t stop there. Coach Smith also have one of the best players in program history with Moado Lo. He’s Top 5 in career scoring and one of the best 3-point shooters Columbia ever had.
There are high expectations for the Lions to win the Ivy League this year. Coach Smith believes his team still needs work in certain areas before reaching that goal. “We need to get Alex Rosenberg back,” he said. “We suffered a couple of injuries with Rosenberg and Mullins. This team needs more defense. We need to dribble, drive, pass and shoot better.”
Smith holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego, where he began his coaching career in 1992. Smith and his family resides in Morningside Heights, close to the Columbia campus.
Photo by: Miguel Medina
