Julia Smith is in her third year on the Anteater staff serving as an assistant coach.

Smith, who served as the Director of Basketball Operations at UCI last season, was an assistant coach at San Bernardino Valley College from 2006-08, helping the Wolverines to the regional finals in 2007 and a conference championship in 2008. In 2005-06, Smith was an assistant coach at Riverside Community College when the team was a final four participant. While at Riverside, Smith served as the men's cross country coach, leading the Tigers to a conference championship in 2005. Smith also served as an assistant track and field coach at J.W. North High School from 2005-08.

Smith played at UNLV from 2001-03, advancing the NCAA tournament in 2002 and the NIT in 2003. She was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. Smith began her playing career at the University of Washington (1998-2000) where she earned Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention recognition. She also garnered Pac-10 honorable mention academic honors with the Huskies.

Smith graduated with a M.S. in Kinesiology from California Baptist in 2004 and a B.A. in Liberal Arts from UNLV in 2002.

She was prepped at J.W. North High School where she played basketball for John Rienhold and ran track for Charles Leathers. Smith and husband, Damien have a son, Dontae.