Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Nevada [Exh] on October 17, 2025
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Men's Basketball
vs Nevada [Exh]
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Men's Basketball
Smith, Craig
Craig Smith
- Title:
- Men's Basketball Head Coach
- Email:
- lsmith@huntsman.utah.edu
- Phone:
- 385-547-4454
Craig Smith was named the 16th head coach of the Runnin’ Utes men’s basketball program on Saturday, March 27, 2021, and begins his fourth season at the helm in 2024-25.
In his first season on the Hill, Smith saw big man Branden Carlson earn All-Pac-12 Second-Team honors while Lazar Stefanovic garnered Pac-12 All-Freshman Team accolades. The veteran head coach saw the Utes start the year with five-straight victories – including the Sunshine Slam Tournament Championship behind a 72-58 victory over Tulsa in the title game.
The 2022-23 Runnin’ Utes saw much improvement all-around and was highlighted by its 81-66 victory over then-No. 4/4 Arizona at home in early December. Utah started the Pac-12 slate 8-3 before finishing 10-10 in league play after the Utes were hit with the injury bug down the stretch. Carlson had a solid senior season earning himself All-Pac-12, Associated Press All-Pac-12 and NABC All-District accolades after averaging 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks with a .496 shooting percentage.
Utah’s 2023-24 campaign saw Utah finish the year 22-15 overall – the most wins in a single-season since 2017-18 when it advanced to the NIT Championship game. The Runnin’ Utes also held serve at home, going 17-2 inside the Jon M. Huntsman Center – which was the most wins at home in a single-season since going undefeated at home in 1999-2000 (17-0).
Individually, the Runnin’ Utes saw a lot of success on the floor as well with Carlson closing out his collegiate career signing a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors and joining former Ute Jakob Poeltl in the 6ix. The Utah native closed out his career as the program leader in blocks (241) and games played (146). He also owns top-10 marks in field-goals made (4th; 733), defensive rebounds (4th; 618), scoring (5th; 1,892), field-goal attempts (6th; 1,429) and offensive rebounds (8th; 224). Carlson also cemented himself in Pac-12 history, ranking fifth in blocks (241), 14th in scoring for Pac-12 only games (1,171), 28th in scoring (1,892) and tied for 53rd in rebounding (842). He also concluded his illustrious career as just 1-of-6 players ever to record at least 1,800 career points and 800 career rebounds at Utah.
Carlson’s award mantle also continued to fill up, earning All-Pac-12, NABC All-District, AP All-Pac-12 and Utah State of Sports Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year in 2023-24.
Gabe Madsen saw himself break the program’s single-season 3-point record in 2023-24, finishing the year with 105 made 3-pointers. Meanwhile, his 213 career triples at Utah sits him in sixth on the all-time list heading into his final season in 2024-25.
Smith came to Salt Lake City with some familiarity, having served as the head coach at Utah State the past three seasons up in Logan. The veteran head coach takes the helm of his third Division I program after leading both South Dakota and Utah State to multiple postseason tournament appearances.
During his time in Logan, Smith compiled a 74-24 record with the Aggies while leading USU to three-consecutive 20-plus win seasons, two Mountain West Conference Tournament Championships (2019, 2020) and a regular-season championship.
In 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 10 as a head coach, Smith has been to postseason play 13 times, while winning four regular-season and four postseason conference championships. He has earned four conference coach of the year awards (2006, 2007, 2017, 2019) in three different conferences and was named NAIA II National Coach of the Year Award in 2007, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 12 Coach of the Year Award in 2017, and NABC District 17 Coach of the Year and USBWA District VIII Coach of the Year in 2019.
Smith saw immediate success in his first season at USU, leading it to an overall record of 28-7 – which was the most wins by a first-year head coach at USU and third-most wins overall in school history. The Aggies earned a spot in the Big Dance his first season after capturing the conference tournament crown and earned the No. 8 seed – which was the highest in program history.
His second year in Logan saw much of the same success, again winning the conference tournament and was just 1-of-12 programs to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament before it was canceled due to COVID-19.
In a season unlike any other, Smith led the Aggies to their 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020-21 with an at-large berth after finishing second in the MWC with a 20-9 overall record – which earned it the 11 seed.
The Aggies thrived under the direction of Smith with Sam Merrill becoming the first player in MWC history to garner back-to-back conference tournament MVP honors. Merrill also went on to collect two First-Team All-MWC selections and a 2019 AP All-America Honorable Mention nod.
Neemias Queta also saw success at Utah State, collecting freshman of the year honors and defensive player of the year accolades at the end of the 2019 campaign. In addition, he was a three-time all-conference and all-defensive team selection. He had a breakout junior season, collecting a host of honors including, MWC Player of the Year (media), MWC Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-MWC, AP Honorable Mention All-America, USBWA/NABC All-District Team, all-tournament team and Bleacher Report’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Prior to taking over the Utah State program, Smith spent four seasons (2015-18) at South Dakota and led the Coyotes to a 79-55 (.590) overall mark – including a 38-26 (.594) record in Summit League action. Smith guided USD to back-to-back postseason appearances in his final two season in Vermillion, S.D.
In his final season at USD, Smith led the Coyotes to a 26-9 record and CBI appearance. The 26-9 overall mark was the second-most wins in school history and best record in the program’s 10-year existence at the Division I level. That 2017-18 team did not lose back-to-back games in the regular-season.
The 2016-17 season saw South Dakota go 22-12 overall and 12-4 in league play – which earned it a spot in the NIT. Smith was named the NABC District 12 Coach of the Year for his efforts after leading USD to just its second Division I conference championship.
Overall, Smith guided nine players who totaled 11 all-conference accolades – including Matt Mooney, a two-time first-team all-conference honoree and two-time NABC All-District 12 recipient.
Smith spent two seasons (2012-14) at Nebraska as an assistant coach after spending five seasons as an assistant at Colorado State (2007-12). During his time as an assistant, Smith was part of two NCAA Tournament runs, guiding CSU to the Big Dance in 2012 and then the Cornhuskers in 2014.
Smith also served as the head coach at NAIA Mayville State from 2005-07, posting a 72-29 record and led them to the NAIA II National Tournament each year. He inherited a team that went 1-25 the previous season and led the Comets to the NAIA National Championship in his final season before departing for Colorado State. Smith was named the NAIA II National Coach of the Year when the Comets defended their regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the National Championship game in 2007. It also marked the first time any men’s basketball team from North Dakota had ever played for a national title. Smith also earned DAC Coach of the Year honors in both 2006 and 2007.
He began his coaching career at Mayville State his first year out of college in 1997 before taking a graduate assistant position at Northern State the year after, and helped the Wolves advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Tournament. Smith stayed within the Big Sky footprint and was as an assistant at Minot State from 1999-2001 before serving as an assistant coach under Tim Miles at North Dakota State (2002-04) – with whom he would later work at Colorado State and Nebraska.
Smith is a Stephen, Minn., native and a 1996 graduate of the University of North Dakota, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He then earned his master’s degree in teaching and learning from Northern State while he was a graduate assistant.
He was honored by the University of North Dakota with the Tom Clifford Award, which recognizes UND alumni who serve as athletic coaches on the high school or college level and have been notably successful in their sport the preceding year on Oct. 1, 2021.
Smith and his wife, Darcy, have three sons: Landon, Brady and Carson, and a daughter, Lauren.
| Years | School | Position |
| 2021- | University of Utah | Head Coach |
| 2018-21 | Utah State | Head Coach |
| 2014-18 | South Dakota | Head Coach |
| 2012-14 | Nebraska | Assistant Coach |
| 2008-12 | Colorado State | Assistant Coach |
| 2007-08 | Colorado State | Director of Basketball Operations |
| 2004-07 | Mayville State | Head Coach |
| 2001-04 | North Dakota State | Assistant Coach |
| 1998-2001 | Minot State | Assistant Coach |
| 1997-98 | Northern State | Graduate Assistant |
| 1996-97 | Mayville State | Assistant Coach |
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