FIRST SEASON: 2019-2020 (volunteer assistant), 2017-2018 (student-athlete)

No stranger to the University of New Orleans former Privateer student-athlete Jackson Smith joined the program as a volunteer assistant coach before the 2019-20 season one year after finishing his athletic eligibility on the Lakefront.

Smith's duties include talking student-athletes through their shots, helping with reading their putts and just keeping the Privateer golfers mentally sharp on the course. Jackson helped guide the 2019-20 squad to a school-record for stroke average in a season, while Grayson Gilbert and Florian Moosmeier became the first Privateers to be named to the All-Louisiana Golf team since 2010.

A two-year letterman on the Lakefront starting in 2017, Smith earned All-Southland Honorable Mention as a senior after a much-improved Spring campaign. His career-low round of 68 at the LaTOUR Intercollegiate was the best by a Privateer during 2018-19.

Smith was chosen as the “Most Improved” student-athlete in the sport of golf following his senior season by head coach Jeff Lorio after averaging just over 71 strokes per round - an almost seven stroke improvement from the fall. During the Blue & Silver Globes student-athlete awards banquet, Smith was also chosen “Most Likely to Remain at UNO Forever” by his fellow student-athletes.

Prior to his two years in New Orleans, Smith was a student-athlete at Division II Harding College from 2015-17. He participated in seven events and his best marks as a Bison included 225 strokes (54 holes), 148 strokes (36 holes) and a then career-best round of 73 as a freshman at the NSU Golf Classic.

The Tyler, Texas native earned four varsity letters in golf and three in basketball at All-Saints Episcopal High School. The former Trojan was named All-Region four times, All-District three times, and qualified for the state championships four times. As a junior Smith’s third-place finish helped his team win the TAPPS 4A North Region tournament, their seventh tournament victory of the season.