coaches

Nate Smith was named interim head track and field coach in January following the resignation of Derek Stanley. He is currently entering his third year coaching track and field at Bluffton, having also recently completed his second season as the women’s tennis coach. He serves as the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and middle distance coach for the Beavers. Coach Smith is also in charge of all off-season strength and conditioning for both programs, and is currently finishing his master's degree in education at Bluffton, having recently added a teaching licensure in health and physical education to his bachelor's degree in sports broadcasting.

Over the past two seasons Coach Smith has seen his athletes claim five HCAC titles and break every women's sprint, hurdle, and relay school record.  In addition, Coach Smith has been able to witness eight of his athletes gain All-HCAC status over the previous two seasons, as well as having coached Bluffton's first-ever HCAC Track & Field Freshman of the Year.  As a team, Coach Smith has helped to guide the Beavers to the top half of the conference for both men and women.

Prior to coming to Bluffton in February 2002, Coach Smith was the head track and field coach, and varsity football offensive coordinator, at Freedom High School in Oakley, CA. At the helm of that program in 2001, he guided the track team to 25 new school records, along with qualifying 17 athletes for the sectional meet, and nine for the regional meet, more than the rest of the school’s combined history. In addition, Coach Smith’s football teams compiled a four-year record of 26-13-1, including 14-6 over his two seasons at Freedom, with one league championship and a section playoff berth.

Smith is a 2000 graduate of San Francisco State University, where he competed in sprints and javelin for the Gators. He was a Northern California Athletic Conference championship meet finalist in the javelin throw, and was able to enjoy team success as well during his playing tenure, as the Gators finished second in the NCAC in 1997 before winning the team title in 1998. Smith was also recognized on the student-athlete honor roll and was a member of the Presidential Scholars group all four years at SFSU.

A graduate of Liberty High School in Brentwood, CA, Smith served as quarterback and captain of his football team while also earning all-league defensive back honors, and was a finalist for both the Northern California Football Foundation award and the CIF Student-Athlete of the Year competition. He also led off the Lions’ 400-meter relay team to the Northern California Meet of Champions, posting the best time in the school’s past 20 years.