Alissa Smith launched Alissa Smith Softball after completing her third season at St. Johns River State College in 2021. She arrived at SJR State after serving as the assistant softball coach and recruiting coordinator at Daytona State College where her responsibilities included working with the offense, the infield, recruiting and overseeing of camps and clinics. Smith also did a 10-year stint of coaching at the Division I level, serving as an assistant coach at Bethune Cookman University from 1999 to 2005, and at The University of Maryland from 2005 to 2009.

While at Bethune-Cookman, Smith helped lead the Wildcats to five straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships from 1999-2004 with corresponding NCAA regional appearances.
In 2005, the team also won the NCAA Regional at Gainesville, and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional. Bethune-Cookman won 49 games and finished number 18 in the final Top 25 poll of the season.
Smith was also awarded South Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) in 2005.

Smith’s collegiate career began at Daytona Beach Community College, where she played her freshman and sophomore seasons, earning her team’s Gold Glove Award her second year. Smith then transferred to Florida A&M University, where she received her degree in psychology. While at Florida A&M University, she played second base and shortstop, and helped lead the Rattlers to claim a MEAC title her senior season. Smith earned the team’s defensive player of the year award that year.

Smith worked as a pharmacy technician in Orlando for two years before joining Bethune-Cookman’s coaching staff as an assistant.