The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Basketball
Joy Smith
- Title:
- Associate Coach
- Year at Ole Miss:
- Third
- Email:
- jksmit14@olemiss.edu
- Phone:
- 662-915-7592
- Alma Mater:
- Duke (2010)
Joy Cheek Smith boasts over 15 years of coaching experience at the Power Five level, joining Ole Miss women’s basketball during the 2024-25 campaign. Following her first year as an assistant coach, Smith was promoted to associate coach for the Rebels.
In the past two years, Smith has been placed on the ABIS Assistant Coaches Watch List, earning recognition as one of the best minds in the business.
During the 2025-26 campaign, Smith helped guide Ole Miss to wins over three AP top-five opponents, making the Rebels the only SEC team in 2025-26 to accomplish the feat without any of those victories coming at home. The Rebels delivered another strong postseason, advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five years and earning a first-round win over 12th-seeded Gonzaga, thanks in part to Smith’s help in assembling ESPN’s No. 2 ranked transfer portal class ahead of the season.
Under Smith’s coaching, senior forward Christeen Iwaula led the team with 8.3 rebounds and averaged 12.5 points per game to rank second by a Rebel that season. Iwuala also had one of the most efficient offensive seasons in Ole Miss history, making 60.1 percent of fields goals to mark the third best in program history and she earned Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game MVP honors following the year.
In her first year under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Smith was a force to be reckoned with, helping lead Ole Miss to its 12th Sweet 16 and 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Leading the charge for the post positions, Smith was vital in the development of forwards Madison Scott and Starr Jacobs. Scott led the Rebels with 11.8 points per game during her final year at Ole Miss, while Jacobs brought down 6.1 rebounds a game to be a key contributor in the paint.
Before serving as an assistant coach at Clemson for six years, Smith was a standout at Duke from 2006-10, playing in 137 contests for the Blue Devils in making four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. While in Durham, Smith earned All-ACC Tournament First Team Honors, All-ACC Third team and was a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award.
Smith was drafted 35th overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever and appeared in seven games before traveling overseas to play in Poland. She signed a brief contract with the Washington Mystics in 2011 before returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach at Duke.
“Joy is a future head coach and is a huge addition to our program. She has an incredible knack for relating to players,” said McPhee-McCuin. “As demonstrated by the success of the numerous professional players she has developed, her reputation as an elite player developer is well known. Joy has helped signed All-Americans and high-level players throughout all of her coaching stops. I am excited for her to bring her knowledge of the game and competitive nature to the Sip.”
Following reaching the Elite 8 in both seasons with the Blue Devils, Smith ventured to Ohio State to serve as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013-16. With the Buckeyes, Smith helped Ohio State land top-25 classes in her final two seasons, including a top-five class in 2015-16.
Before joining the Tigers in 2018, Smith spent two seasons at Vanderbilt where she earned the national honor of being named one of the WBCA’s “Thirty Under 30”. At Clemson, Smith reached one NCAA Tournament with the Tigers in 2019 and guided Amari Robinson to a Second Team All-ACC nod in 2023.
Smith is joined in Oxford by her husband Allen and daughters Harleigh and Emori.
“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work for Coach Yo at Ole Miss. She is a dynamic leader and a proven winner on and off the court,” said Smith. “I’ve always admired what she has done in rebuilding the program and how she has positively impacted her players lives. I am excited to be a part of the program as she continues to elevate Ole Miss and win championships.”
In the past two years, Smith has been placed on the ABIS Assistant Coaches Watch List, earning recognition as one of the best minds in the business.
During the 2025-26 campaign, Smith helped guide Ole Miss to wins over three AP top-five opponents, making the Rebels the only SEC team in 2025-26 to accomplish the feat without any of those victories coming at home. The Rebels delivered another strong postseason, advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in five years and earning a first-round win over 12th-seeded Gonzaga, thanks in part to Smith’s help in assembling ESPN’s No. 2 ranked transfer portal class ahead of the season.
Under Smith’s coaching, senior forward Christeen Iwaula led the team with 8.3 rebounds and averaged 12.5 points per game to rank second by a Rebel that season. Iwuala also had one of the most efficient offensive seasons in Ole Miss history, making 60.1 percent of fields goals to mark the third best in program history and she earned Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game MVP honors following the year.
In her first year under head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Smith was a force to be reckoned with, helping lead Ole Miss to its 12th Sweet 16 and 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Leading the charge for the post positions, Smith was vital in the development of forwards Madison Scott and Starr Jacobs. Scott led the Rebels with 11.8 points per game during her final year at Ole Miss, while Jacobs brought down 6.1 rebounds a game to be a key contributor in the paint.
Before serving as an assistant coach at Clemson for six years, Smith was a standout at Duke from 2006-10, playing in 137 contests for the Blue Devils in making four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. While in Durham, Smith earned All-ACC Tournament First Team Honors, All-ACC Third team and was a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award.
Smith was drafted 35th overall in the 2010 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever and appeared in seven games before traveling overseas to play in Poland. She signed a brief contract with the Washington Mystics in 2011 before returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach at Duke.
“Joy is a future head coach and is a huge addition to our program. She has an incredible knack for relating to players,” said McPhee-McCuin. “As demonstrated by the success of the numerous professional players she has developed, her reputation as an elite player developer is well known. Joy has helped signed All-Americans and high-level players throughout all of her coaching stops. I am excited for her to bring her knowledge of the game and competitive nature to the Sip.”
Following reaching the Elite 8 in both seasons with the Blue Devils, Smith ventured to Ohio State to serve as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013-16. With the Buckeyes, Smith helped Ohio State land top-25 classes in her final two seasons, including a top-five class in 2015-16.
Before joining the Tigers in 2018, Smith spent two seasons at Vanderbilt where she earned the national honor of being named one of the WBCA’s “Thirty Under 30”. At Clemson, Smith reached one NCAA Tournament with the Tigers in 2019 and guided Amari Robinson to a Second Team All-ACC nod in 2023.
Smith is joined in Oxford by her husband Allen and daughters Harleigh and Emori.
“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work for Coach Yo at Ole Miss. She is a dynamic leader and a proven winner on and off the court,” said Smith. “I’ve always admired what she has done in rebuilding the program and how she has positively impacted her players lives. I am excited to be a part of the program as she continues to elevate Ole Miss and win championships.”
| COACHING CAREER | ||
| Year(s) | School | Position |
| 2025-Present | Ole Miss | Associate Coach |
| 2024-25 | Ole Miss | Assistant Coach |
| 2018-24 | Clemson | Assistant Coach |
| 2016-18 | Vanderbilt | Assistant Coach |
| 2013-16 | Ohio State | Assistant Coach |
| 2011-13 | Duke | Assistant Coach |
PRESSER | Women's Basketball - Postgame vs. Minnesota (03-22-26)
Sunday, March 22
CONDENSED GAME | Ole Miss vs Minnesota - NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (03-22-26)
Sunday, March 22
PRESSER | Yolett McPhee-McCuin - NCAA Tournament Round 2 Preview (03-21-26)
Saturday, March 21
PRESSER | Lattasha Lattimore & Debreasha Powe - NCAA Tournament Round 2 Preview (03-21-26)
Saturday, March 21
