EASTON, Pa. - Kristyn Smith, who spent the last two seasons at the University of New Haven, has been named an assistant coach with Lafayette softball.
While at New Haven, Smith served as a graduate assistant for softball operations and player development under head coach Kelly Paterson. She managed the program's day-to-day operations, including team travel, facility setup, practice planning and camp operations. Smith also played an active role in coordinating academic tracking for student-athletes and provided on-field instruction with an emphasis on hitter and infielder development.
During her two seasons on staff, New Haven improved its offensive production, increasing its team batting average from .209 to .231, while totaling 40 more hits and 18 more runs than the season prior to her arrival. The program also posted a .955 fielding percentage during its first season of NCAA Division I competition in 2026.
"I'm excited to welcome Coach Smitty to our staff! Her knowledge of the game and passion for developing student-athletes will be an asset in helping our program continue to grow," said Lafayette head coach Kelliner Croushore. "I look forward to the positive impact she will have on our team."
This summer, Smith served as assistant coach/clubhouse manager for the Minot Honeybees of the Northwoods League. In addition to recruiting athletes, managing equipment operations and overseeing clubhouse and gameday logistics, she worked directly with the team's hitters and outfielders, assisted with player-development initiatives, helped coordinate defensive alignments and in-game strategy alongside the coaching staff. During her time in Minot, she also coached current Lafayette pitcher Parker Rowden '27.
Smith graduated from Manhattan in 2024 after earning her bachelor's degree in marketing. The infielder was a four-year member of the program, helping lead the squad to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship in 2021, which saw the program advance to the Fayetteville Regional hosted by the University of Arkansas. The Ramsey, N.J. native went on to earn her Master's in Sports Management at New Haven in 2026.
