Paul Smith enters his tenth season as head coach of the Meredith College Soccer team. During the 2009 season Meredith claimed the regular season USA South title and Smith received coach of the year honors.

In 2008, Smith led the Avenging Angels to Meredith’s first ever USA South Conference Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer tournament. The team finished the regular season in second place of the USA South with an overall 17-4 record and defeated host and number one seeded Christopher Newport in the conference tournament. The 2007 team finished with a fourth place finish in the USA South. The 2006 season ended with 17 wins and their first ever bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer tournament. The 2006 season also included a 12 game win streak, 14 game non-losing streak and 14 shutouts. Five players were named to the USA South All-Conference teams including the rookie of the year. Smith was named the 2006 National Coach of the Year of the Association of Division III Independents.

Smith has rebuilt the Meredith College program to a team capable of consistently playing in the Division III NCAA tournament. Smith came to Meredith from Garner High School where he served as the head men’s and women’s soccer coach. While coaching there, he was named the Region III Coach of the Year four times and the 1995 N.C. High School Coach of the Year. He also coached the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) 1983 Spartan Vipers club team to a #2 national ranking and the CASL 1978 team to a #6 national ranking. Smith served as an N.C. Olympic Development coach from 1989-1996 and has coached 14 National Team players or All-Americans. He has also served as a play-by-play announcer and television analyst for the USISL Raleigh Flyers professional soccer team.

Smith’s college playing experience at Methodist College from 1982-1985 led to his being named three times to the Dixie Conference All-Academic team. He was also named to the NSCAA/GTA Academic All-American team in 1984. Smith was selected as a midfielder to the Dixie All-Conference team and 1983 All South player. He participated in the 1983 USOC Under-20 Olympic team trials and played USISL B league Pro Soccer from 1986-88 with the Molsen Golden and Raleigh United.

Smith is a member of the North Carolina Association of Educators, National Educators Association, United States Soccer Federation, North Carolina Coaches Association, and National Soccer Coaches Association of America. He also holds a USSF national license and is a USSF state instructor. Smith was the featured speaker at the 2006 NCSCA All-State Banquet. He also was the originator of the High School Soccer Jamboree formats adopted by the NCHSAA and the North Carolina Amateur Sports Soccer Showcase for rising high school juniors and seniors.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Methodist College. His honors there include graduating Cum Laude, serving as president of Omicron Delta Kappa Society, being named to the Who’s Who of American University and Colleges and serving as president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

In addition to coaching, Smith teaches Honors earth science, physical science, mathematics and freshman orientation at Garner Magnet/IB High School.