Atlanta Dream Hire Karl Smesko as Head Coach
One of Women’s Basketball’s Winningest Coaches, Smesko Brings a Dynamic New Style to the Atlanta Dream
ATLANTA (November 13, 2024) – The Atlanta Dream hired Karl Smesko as the team’s new Head Coach, the organization announced today.
With the third highest winning percentage (.843) among active coaches in NCAA Division I (DI) women’s basketball history (behind only Geno Auriemma and Kim Mulkey), Smesko brings over two decades of head coaching experience to the Atlanta Dream. His 672 total wins ranks eighth overall among active head coaches.
“Karl is a proven leader with a history of developing his players and creating a winning culture,” said General Manager Dan Padover. “His fast-paced, innovative style of play will be attractive to our players and fans alike. We are excited to have Karl bring his incredible basketball IQ to the Dream.”
Off the court, Smesko’s impact ripples throughout the basketball universe, particularly as it relates to developing coaches. Currently, 22 of his former players have entered the coaching ranks - including three on the current Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) staff - and three of his former assistant coaches are now head coaches at the collegiate level.
“This is an exciting moment for our fans, the city of Atlanta, and the entire Dream organization,” said Atlanta Dream Majority Owner, Larry Gottesdiener. “A great basketball mind is coming to our city. Karl’s passion for and commitment to women’s basketball bring out the best in everyone around him. I am confident we have found the right leader to take our organization to the next level.”
A native of Bath, Ohio, Smesko created and built the FGCU women’s basketball program from the ground up. During his 23 years as the Head Coach, Smesko’s teams have compiled a remarkable overall record of 611-110 (.8.47). His teams have won 14 Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) regular season titles, 11 ASUN tournament championships, and progressed to the NCAA tournament 10 times. Smesko has led FGCU to 25-wins in 14 straight seasons, an accomplishment only matched by UConn.
“I am humbled and honored to be the head coach of the Atlanta Dream,” said Karl Smesko. “I am grateful for a remarkable 23 years at FGCU and will be forever indebted to the amazing women who have played for me, the incredible professionals who have coached with me, and the passionate fanbase who supported us along the way. I’m thankful to the leadership of the Atlanta Dream for their faith in me to lead this organization into the future and can’t wait to get started.”
The Atlanta Dream will host a press conference introducing Karl Smesko as the franchise’s new head coach, accompanied by General Manager Dan Padover, early next week with details to follow.
About the Atlanta Dream
Established in Atlanta in 2008, the Atlanta Dream is the Southeast’s only WNBA franchise, playing its home games at the Gateway Center Arena @ College Park. Dream games are telecast locally on Peachtree TV and simulcast on Peachtree Sports Network across the state of Georgia. Since 2009, Dream teams have produced 11 WNBA All-Stars, achieved 3 first-place regular-season finishes, earned 9 playoff bids and made 3 WNBA finals appearances. For more information about the Dream, visit dream.wnba.com and follow @AtlantaDream on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.
Karl Smesko
PERSONAL:
- Smesko, a native of Bath, Ohio (born October 2, 1970)
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism
- Completed his master’s degree in education from Walsh University in 1998
- Inducted into the Revere High School Athletics Hall of Fame
- His father, Al, is a former teacher who served as the head boys basketball coach at Revere High School in Richfield, Ohio from 1969-83
- His brother, Kyle, is the quarterback’s coach for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s football program
COACHING CAREER (heading into 2024-2025 season):
- Named the eighth coach in the history of the Atlanta Dream on Nov. 13, 2025
- Prior to joining the Dream, he spent 26 seasons as a Head Coach at the collegiate level. When he left the college game, he was eighth overall in total wins 672-137 (.831) and third overall win percentage among all active DI women's basketball head coaches, behind UConn's Geno Auriemma (1,213-262, .882) and LSU's Kim Mulkey (723-118, .860)
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU)
2002-2024: Head Coach – 611-110 record (.847)
13x ASUN Coach of the Year (2009, 2011-2016, 2018-2023)
FGCU: NCAA Division II – Independent (2002-2007)
- On May 2, 2001, Smesko accepted the head coaching position at FGCU, which didn’t have a women’s basketball program at the time
- FGCU began their first season as an NCAA Division II (DII) independent in 2002-03 and he led the team to a 30-1 record in their first year
- FGCU compiled a 132-21 record at the DII level (.863 winning percentage)
- FGCU went to the NCAA DII Elite Eight in 2006 and Final Four in 2007, finishing as National Runner-up
- FGCU earned the program’s first-ever ranking from the WBCA in December 2005 and were ranked in every poll over the rest of the DII era that ran through the end of the 2006-07 season
- In that final DII year, the team earned its first No. 1 ranking in early February and spent the rest of the season atop the poll
FGCU: NCAA Division I – Atlantic Sun Conference (2008-2024)
- FGCU transitioned to NCAA Division I in 2007 and joined the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN)
- Since elevating to Division I in 2007, FGCU has compiled a 479-89 (.843) record, marking highest winning percentage in NCAA Division I women's basketball history, outpacing the next closest blue blood programs UConn (.799) and Tennessee (.798) Won 14 ASUN regular season titles
- 11 ASUN tournament championships
- Progressed to postseason play in all 15 seasons (10 NCAA Tournament and 5 WNIT appearances)
- 14 straight 25-win seasons – an accomplishment only achieved by UConn and FGCU
- Nine players named to either the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA) Scholar-Athlete team at least once or earn a D-I-AAA postgraduate scholarship
- 16 players named to the ASUN’s All-Academic team since its inception in 2011-12
- 7 players named ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- 22 of his former players are have entered the coaching ranks, including three who are head coaches at the collegiate level (Read more about the Smesko coaching tree here)
Purdue University Fort Wayne (formerly IPFW)
NCAA Division II (Great Lakes Valley Conference)
1999-2001: Head Coach – 32-22 record (.593)
- At IPFW, he took over a two-win team and led them to a 11-win improvement (13-14) in year one
- His second team won 19 games, still the fourth most in school history
University of Maryland
NCAA Division I (Atlantic Coast Conference)
1998-1999: Assistant Coach
- Assistant Coach under Chris Weller where team finished with a 16-15 record
Walsh University
NCAA Division II (Independent)
1997-1998: Head Coach – 29-5 record (.853) – NAIA Division II National Champions
- Began his head coaching career as a 27-year-old at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio
- Walsh saw a 12-game improvement over the previous season
- Walsh predicted to finish sixth in a nine-team Mid-Ohio Conference and was the 32nd, and final selection, into the NAIA tournament field
- Defeated five nationally-ranked teams in six days to claim the national title
- Mid-Ohio Conference Coach of the Year (1997)
- NAIA Coach of the Year (1997)
- Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame w/ Walsh team (2012)
| COACHING RECORD: Season | Institution | Record | Postseason |
| 1997–98 | Walsh Univ. | 29–5 | NAIA DII National Champion |
| 1999–00 | IPFW | 13–14 | |
| 2000–01 | IPFW | 19–8 | |
| 2002–03 | FGCU | 30–1 | |
| 2003–04 | FGCU | 18–8 | |
| 2004–05 | FGCU | 21–9 | |
| 2005–06 | FGCU | 29–2 | NCAA DII Elite Eight |
| 2006–07 | FGCU | 34–1 | NCAA DII Final Four, National Runner Up |
| 2007–08 | FGCU | 22–9 | WNIT Second Round |
| 2008–09 | FGCU | 26–5 | WNIT Second Round |
| 2009–10 | FGCU | 24–7 | WNIT First Round |
| 2010-11 | FGCU | 28–4 | WNIT Second Round |
| 2011–12 | FGCU | 29–3 | NCAA First round |
| 2012–13 | FGCU | 27–7 | WNIT First Round |
| 2013–14 | FGCU | 26–8 | NCAA First round |
| 2014–15 | FGCU | 31–3 | NCAA Second round |
| 2015–16 | FGCU | 33–6 | WNIT Runner Up |
| 2016–17 | FGCU | 26–9 | NCAA First Round |
| 2017–18 | FGCU | 31–5 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2018–19 | FGCU | 28–5 | NCAA First Round |
| 2019–20 | FGCU | 30–3 | Postseason not held due to COVID-19 |
| 2020–21 | FGCU | 26–3 | NCAA First Round |
| 2021–22 | FGCU | 30–3 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2022–23 | FGCU | 33–4 | NCAA Second Round |
| 2023–24 | FGCU | 29–4 | NCAA First Round |
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