Mike Smith (born April 3, 1980) is an American coach who was the director of cross country and track and field at Northern Arizona University from 2017 to 2025. As the head coach of the men's and women's programs, he led the men's teams to five NCAA Division I men's cross country championships titles. In 2025, he left NAU to coach professional athletes sponsored by Nike, while still based in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Smith has been credited with establishing a running dynasty at Northern Arizona. His coaching philosophy involves emphasizing "executing a great team race" at championships rather than focusing on the outcome.
Prior to Northern Arizona University As a runner, Smith competed for the Wachusett Regional High School Mountaineers where his team placed 2nd at the 1997 Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association cross country championships. Smith also placed 8th at the 1998 New Balance Outdoor Nationals two-mile run.
After initially competing for James Madison University, Smith completed his collegiate running career at Georgetown University. After college, he worked as an elementary school teacher for two years and earned a master's degree. He did not compete during this time period. In 2006, he moved to Flagstaff, where he worked under Dr. Jack Daniels at the NAU Center for High Altitude Training and founded Team Run Flagstaff. During this time period, Smith competed in trail and road running and qualified for and competed in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon. Following the closure of the Center for High Altitude Training in early 2009, Smith worked for Hypo2 helping organize altitude training camps for elite athletes in multiple sports.
Smith returned to Georgetown as a coach in 2012. He rose through the ranks to eventually become the Director of Cross Country and Track and Field during the 2015–2016 academic year.
As director of Northern Arizona cross country and track Smith joined the NAU cross country coaching staff in fall 2016 in anticipation of the retirement of the current head coach, Eric Heins. That season, the men's team built off of fourth, second, and fourth-place team finishes in the three preceding years to win the 2016 NCAA men's NCAA Division I title. Mike Smith officially became the Northern Arizona University's Director of Cross Country and Track in 2017.
In 2025, Smith departed NAU to lead a Nike-sponsored professional running team based in Flagstaff.
Men's NCAA DI cross country championship team results 2017NAU Portland 74–1272nd Matthew Baxter, 3rd Tyler Day, 8th Peter Lomong 2018NAU BYU 83–1166th Tyler Day 2019 BYUNAU 109–163 2020NAU Notre Dame 60–874th Nico Young, 6th Blaise Ferro, 7th Abdihamid Nur, 9th Luis Grijalva 2021NAU Iowa State 92–1377th Abdihamid Nur 2022NAU Oklahoma State 83–83* 3–2 tiebreak 2nd Nico Young, 3rd Drew Bosley 2023 Oklahoma StateNAU 49–71 5th Drew Bosley, 6th Nico Young
Women's NCAA DI cross country championship team results 2017Did not qualify2018Did not qualify 201914th 202011th6th Taryn O'Neill 202123rd 20226th4th Elise Stearns 20232nd
Individual NCAA titles and records Under Smith, four male athletes have won indoor and NCAA Division I titles: Andy Trouard in the 3000 m in 2018, George Beamish in the mile in 2019, Abdihamid Nur in the 3000m and 5000m in 2022, and Nico Young in the 3000 m and 5000 m in 2024. As of the conclusion of the outdoor NCAA season in 2023, Smith has yet to win an NCAA outdoor title.
As of 2024, Smith's athletes hold collegiate records in the indoor 3,000 m (by Drew Bosley in 2023) and the absolute 5,000 m and 10,000 m records (by Nico Young in 2024). Smith-trained Abdihamid Nur previously held the 5,000 m record.
Athletes trained by Mike Smith Current Donavan Brazier (2025–present) Luis Grijalva (2017–present) Elly Henes (2021–present) Woody Kincaid (2023–present) Abdihamid Nur (2017–present) Galen Rupp (2020–present) Colin Sahlman (2022–present) Rachel Smith (2013–present) Nico Young (2020–present)
Former Matt Baxter (2016–2018) George Beamish (2016–2020) Nikki Hiltz (2022–2025) Andy Trouard (2016–2018) Elly Henes(2022–2024)
Championship results by professional athletes YearMeetAthleteEventPlaceTime2015USA Indoor ChampionshipsRachel SmithMile3rd4:35.85USA ChampionshipsRachel Smith1,500 m5th4:16.092018USA ChampionshipsRachel Smith1,500 m4th4:08.33Rachel Smith5,000 m2nd15:32.712019USA ChampionshipsRachel Smith5,000 m4th15:17.91World ChampionshipsRachel Smith5,000 m19th15:30.002021Olympic GamesLuis Grijalva5,000 m12th13:10.09Galen RuppMarathon8th2:11.41Rachel Smith5,000 m17th15:00.072022USA ChampionshipsAbdihamid Nur5,000 m3rd13:08.63World ChampionshipsLuis Grijalva5,000 m4th13:10.44Abdihamid Nur5,000 m11th13:18.052023USA ChampionshipsNikki Hiltz1,500 m1st4:03.10Abdihamid Nur5,000 m1st13:24.37Woody Kincaid10,000 m1st28:23.01World ChampionshipsLuis Grijalva5,000 m4th13:12.50Nikki Hiltz1,500 m11th (sf)4:00.84Abdihamid Nur5,000 m12th13:23.90Woody Kincaid10,000 m11th28:08.712024USA Indoor ChampionshipsNikki Hiltz1,500 m1st4:08.35Abdihamid Nur3,000 m5th7:58.65World Indoor ChampionshipsNikki Hiltz1,500 m2nd4:02.32USA Olympic TrialsNikki Hiltz1,500 m1st3:55.33Woody Kincaid10,000 m2nd27:50.74Abdihamid Nur5,000 m2nd13:09.01Nico Young10,000 m3rd27:52.40Olympic GamesLuis Grijalva5,000 m16th13:58.81Nikki Hiltz1,500 m7th3:56.38Abdihamid Nur5,000 m19th (h)14:15.00Woody Kincaid10,000 m16th27:29.40Nico Young10,000 m12th26:58.11
Personal Smith was born in 1980 and was raised in Princeton, Massachusetts. Smith is married to professional runner Rachel Schneider (now Rachel Smith). They initially met at Georgetown University, where Smith coached Schneider. Both relocated to Flagstaff, AZ, and, while Smith continued to coach Schneider, the pair began dating. The couple has one child, Nova, born in 2023.
References
External links Northern Arizona profile