Florida Atlantic has hired Taylor Smartt as an assistant coach, the program announced on Wednesday.
Smartt spent the last eight seasons on staff at Troy, including spending the 2022 season as the Trojans’ interim head coach. Prior to her stint temporarily leading the program, she was also part of the coaching staff that guided Troy to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in 2021.
A Troy program alumnus, Smartt spent the 2015 season as a volunteer assistant coach on staff before being promoted to a full-time role. During her time on the Trojans’ staff, she worked with the program’s offense and infield defense.
Smartt’s hiring at FAU makes her the first addition to the inaugural coaching staff of first-year head coach Jordan Clark in Boca Raton.
“I want to thank Jordan Clark for this opportunity and belief in me to help her achieve the vision she has for this program,” Smartt said in a school statement. “Following a legendary coach is challenging, but I am confident that Jordan has every attribute necessary to be a successful head coach and build on the incredible legacy Coach Joan Joyce laid for this program. I am truly honored to be joining a program with such rich and profound history for college softball and women’s sports. Joan Joyce broke countless barriers for us women, and it’s an honor in the 50th year of Title IX that I would have the chance to continue empowering and growing young women in that same space.
“The Lord has opened numerous doors and blessed me in so many ways throughout my life, and I’m genuinely grateful to be in Paradise. I am looking forward to competing for conference championships and helping our student-athletes achieve their dreams both on and off the field.”
