UCF head track and field coach Dana Boone announced the addition of Glenn Smith to her staff as the field events coach in September 2020. In three seasons with the Knights, Smith’s athletes have broken UCF records on 11 occasions, while also setting 12 new freshman and conference records.
Looking to make an impact during the program’s first season in the Big 12, coach Smith continued to improve a talented jump, throws and multis squad. During the indoor campaign, newcomer Y’Vette Harris broke the UCF freshman record in the pentathlon (3,440 Pts.). At the conference championships, Asherah Collins would score in both the long jump (eighth) and triple jump (sixth).
During the outdoor campaign, both Holly Cassels and Natalia Madison improved their marks in the heptathlon as following the conference championships, they sat second and third in program history, respectively. Collins stayed the course in the triple jump during the season, eventually placing fourth at the conference championships, garnering the Knights five points. At the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, she became the first athlete in program history to qualify in both the long and triple jump, eventually continuing her season at nationals in each event.
In Eugene, Collins tallied a pair of second-team All-America honors with a 15th-place finish in the long jump and a 13th-place finish in the triple jump. Collins would eventually go on to compete at the 2024 United States Olympic Trials in each event, advancing to the finals and securing a ninth-place finish in the triple jump.
In 2023, coach Smith guided the jumps squad to No. 6 in the event rankings, with Jasmine Scott-Kilgo and Collins seeing breakout seasons. Collins qualified for her third straight NCAA Outdoor Championships in the triple jump, finishing 10th with her mark of 13.48m (44’ 2.5”), both career highs. Named a Second Team All-American, Collins also represented Team USA at the NACAC U23 Championships, earning a bronze medal in the triple jump. Jasmine Scott-Kilgo broke the school record in the triple jump (13.29m/43’ 7”) and qualified for her first NCAA Outdoor Championships in the long jump, garnering an All-America Honorable Mention. Both Scott-Kilgo and Collins saw podium finished in both the triple and long jump at the AAC Outdoor Championships, with Collins taking gold in the triple jump.
Under Smith’s tutoring, Adrienne Adams broke the program record in the discus throw on two separate occasions, with her career-best landing (57.76m/189’ 6”). Adams represented Jamaica at the CAC Games, taking the bronze medal in the event. Natalia Madison and Holly Cassels both set new personal bests in the heptathlon and secured points for the Knights at the AAC Outdoor Championships.
His second season in Orlando saw Smith and his athletes truly breakthrough alongside a Knights squad that won both the AAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The jumps squad was among the top six in the nation for both indoor and outdoor season.
Brittany Floyd broke school records in the Pentathlon (3993) and Heptathlon (5643) on four occasions. She became UCF’s first NCAA qualifier in the heptathlon and broke the conference record in both events. Collins qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive campaign and won the triple jump at the AAC Indoor Championships, breaking the freshman record. Adams advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, garnering an All-America Honorable Mention while also breaking the program record in the discus throw. Madison shattered the freshman pentathlon record (5227).
In his first season working with the field events, Smith helped a pair of Knights add their names to the record book. Asherah Collins set the UCF freshman indoor and outdoor triple jump records while Holly Cassels became the UCF freshman heptathlon record holder.
Under Smith's leadership, Collins captured the 2021 American Athletic Conference triple jump title. For the first time since 2013, UCF was represented at NCAA East Preliminary Round in both the long jump and the triple jump. Asherah Collins became the first Knight to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the triple jump and earned honorable mention All-America honors in her first season with the Black and Gold.
Smith came to UCF after five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Louisiana-Monroe. At ULM, he primarily worked with jumps, javelin and multi-events, coaching eight Sun Belt champions, 20 Sun Belt medalists, 14 NCAA regional qualifiers and an honorable mention All-American.
Under Smith's guidance, Rebekka Schubert broke the ULM record in the pentathlon at the 2020 Sun Belt Indoor Championship. Cole McKnight was a back-to-back Sun Belt javelin champion under Smith, and was the No. 3 U20 javelin thrower in the U.S. in 2018.
From 2011-13, Smith was an Olympic development coach for the Canadian National Team. He assisted in the coaching of the top heptathletes in the country, including 2012 Olympic finalist Jessica Zelinka. Smith also worked as the Canadian National Team jumps coach for the 2012 NACAC under 23 Championships and was the 2013 IPC World Track & Field Championships team coach.
Prior to ULM, Smith spent time as an assistant at Iowa State, Central Michigan, Tulane and Neosho County.
As an athlete, Smith was a sprinter on the Canadian National team and was the 1999 Canadian Champion in the 200m. He went on to finish 13th in the 200m at the 1999 IAAF World Track & Field Championships. He was honored as the Athletics Canada Fred Tees Award winner, awarded to the top athlete enrolled at a Canadian University. Smith represented Canada six times in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m relay.
Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary, and his Master's Degree in Sports Science and Nutrition from the University of Texas. He is a certified coach USATF Level 2 Jumps and Throws.
*Updated July 2023