Chad Smith

Bio

Chad A. Smith is in his second year as the Athletic Director at Tidewater Community College (TCC) after completing over 20 years of community college and high school educational experiences in the areas of athletic administration, coaching, counseling, academic advising, and student activities.  He is recognized for his successful administrative coordination in guiding two Virginia Community College System (VCCS) institutions’ (Tidewater and Virginia Peninsula) approval for membership into the National Junior College Athletic Administration (NJCAA).  This major accomplishment has contributed to Smith being seen as an advocate and promoter of community college athletics.

Smith arrived at TCC after three spending three years (2021-2024) as the Athletic Director at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia.  He supervised and supported the coaching staff for over 30 academic and athletic teams competing in Virginia High School League activities.  During his tenure as the Raiders AD, the Football (2022) and Volleyball (2021/2022) teams won Regional Championships, a state champion in Debate (Lincoln-Douglas) was awarded in Spring 2024, and over 75 students were selected as All-Peninsula District, All-Region 4A/5B, and All-State for fall, winter, and/or spring sports.

Prior to Warwick HS, Smith served as the Athletic Director at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland from 2018-2020.  FCC presented Smith the opportunity to lead an athletic department that had 7 teams competing at the Divsion II level within Region 20.  During his tenure two teams (Men's Basketball and Baseball) were nationally ranked in top 25 in the NJCAA polls.  From 2011-2018, he was the Coordinator of Athletics and Intramurals at Virginia Peninsula Community College (formerly Thomas Nelson Community College).  At VPCC, he led and coordinated all administrative responsibilities for the college to become a new member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).  Under Smith's leadership, the college’s baseball team joined the NJCAA in 2015, followed by the women's basketball team in 2017.  Prior to this transition both teams competed at the club level.

Smith served as the Gators Head Baseball Coach (2012-2016) and Associate Head Baseball Coach (2017-2018).  During his coaching tenure, three student-athletes were named NJCAA All-Americans and eight to the All-Region 10 Team for Division III.  His first two wins as an official member of the NJCAA were Region 20 competitors Prince George's Community College and Montgomery College.  He also served as an Assistant Coach for the Varsity Baseball and Junior Varsity Basketball teams while working at Woodside High School (1997-2000).

In addition to his coaching accomplishments, seven student-athletes from VPCC were named to the Region 10 All-Academic Team and VA-SID (Virginia Sports Information Directors) Academic All-State Team for achieving a 3.0/3.25 GPAs or higher during the 2016-2018 seasons when Smith also served as the academic advisor for student-athletes.

Smith has served as the Region X-Division III Women's Basketball Chair (2017-18) and was a member of National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA). He received a scholarship from the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics (NACDA) in 2017 to attend the national convention. 

Smith was also high school and collegiate student-athlete.  He played Varsity Baseball all four years at Samuel J. Tilden High School (Brooklyn, NY) and was a reserve shortstop/second baseman on what is considered one of best Norfolk State University Spartans Baseball teams (1988-89) coached by College Baseball Hall of Famer Marty Miller.

He graduated from Norfolk State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.  He earned a Master's Degree in Education with concentration in College Student Personnel Administration from James Madison University in 1997.  He is married to Tonya Smith and they have two daughters, Alexis and Tayah and a grandson Malachi.