On Feb. 7, 2020, Jessica Smith became the new Roos head women’s soccer coach. The 2023 Summit League Coach of the Year enters her sixth season with the Roos in 2025. A former University of Kansas player and Kansas State University assistant coach, she is the third head coach in Kansas City history since the program’s inception in 2009.

The Jess Smith File

Alma Mater: Kansas

Hometown: Wichita, Kan.

Experience: 7th year as head coach (heading into 2026)

College Head Coaching Record

Kansas City Overall: 31-59-20, .373

2025: 9-8-3, .525; 3-3-2, .500
2024: 7-8-3, .472; 1-7-0, .125
2023: 3-7-8, .389; 2-3-3, .238
2022: 2-11-5, .250; 1-5-3, .278
2021: 6-13, .315; 4-5, .444
2020: 4-12-1, .265; 4-11-1, .281

College Coaching Career

2020-present: Head Coach, Kansas City

2019-20: Director of Girls, KC Fusion Soccer Club

2016-17: Assistant Coach, Kansas State

2011-15: Assistant Coach, Kansas

Playing Career

2002-05: University of Kansas

In 2025, the Roos under Smith set the most wins in her tenure with nine, breaking last season’s record of seven, which included a 7-0 win over crosstown rival Rockhurst. In Summit League play, Kansas City went .500, 3-3-2. Olivia Platt & Riley Potter were both named First Team All-Summit League, while Ashley Koch and Delfina Zolesio Fernandez Blanco nabbed spots on the Honorable Mention team. Additionally, Kansas City picked up a 1-0 win over South Dakota in the Summit League Quarterfinals, KC's first postseason win in Smith's tenure.

In 2024, Kansas City notched seven wins, the most of the Smith era at the time. The Roos started the season hot, beginning the year 5-0-3 and tying the longest unbeaten streak in program history. Following the season, Sophia Limongi was named Second Team All-Summit League while Emery Ruliffson and Kinsley Smith each added All-Newcomer nods.

The 2023 season marked the one of the most successful seasons in Smith's tenure to date. The Roos notched 11 results on the year, including conference victories over St. Thomas and South Dakota. Kansas City qualified to postseason play for the first time since 2019, taking the #6 seed at the Summit League Championships.

Due to the team's success, Smith was named the 2023 Summit League Coach of the Year. Brianna Castleberry was KC's leading striker, earning First Team All-League and All-Newcomer Team Honors. In addition, Sophia Limongi and Sophia Smith were named Honorable Mention All-League.

In her third season at the helm, the Roos battled through injury problems and found strength in their youth, as freshmen Madison Page and Madelyn Muhr were each named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team. In addition, Sophia Limongi nabbed Honorable Mention All-League honors after playing nearly 1,600 minutes on the season.

Smith completed her first full slate of games in the 2021 season with a 6-13 record overall and a 4-5 finish in Summit League play. The Roos picked up two early non-conference wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois. Kansas City finished sixth in the Summit with wins over North Dakota, North Dakota State, Omaha and St. Thomas.

In Smith's inaugural season at the reigns of the Roos' women's soccer program, she led the team four wins in Summit League play due to limited non-conference scheduling in the Spring 2020 season. She earned her first-career victory in her second game coached, leading the team to a 3-2 victory over North Dakota State on Feb. 12, 2021. The Roos also picked up a series sweep later in the season, defeating Western Illinois on Feb. 26 and 28. At the conclusion of the season, Emma Wilson was named Second Team All-Summit League.

“We are thrilled to have Jessica Smith join our KC Athletics family,” said University of Missouri-Kansas City Director of Athletics Dr. Martin. “As a former student-athlete and coach, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to comprehensive excellence. Jessica has been a dynamic recruiter of prospects in this region, which is critically important for the continued elevation of our women’s soccer program. Her passion, enthusiasm, and vision for this opportunity was clearly conveyed at every step of the interview process. Jessica will not only be a great mentor and coach for our student-athletes, but will also be a respected leader in the athletics department and campus community.”

Jessica was part of the inaugural K-State women’s soccer program beginning in 2016. She started as an Assistant Coach and was elevated to the Associate Head Coach position in 2018. Her primary responsibilities included practice preparation and development for the team’s offense, university and community engagement and recruiting evaluation. In her third season in 2018, she helped the Wildcats earn votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll for the first time in program history courtesy of a 3-0 start.

"I'd like to thank Dr. Brandon Martin and the hiring committee for the great privilege of being the next leader of Kansas City Women's Soccer,” said Smith. “I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to build upon the program's history of success. With our great resources and support, we will work tirelessly to elevate every aspect of the program and drive towards our goal of becoming a consistent NCAA Tournament team. Our successes will begin with the relationships we have within our team and I can't wait to start connecting with our players on and off the field."

Jessica takes over a Roo program that has won three of the last six conference regular-season championships. Last year, Kansas City finished 13-4-4, which marked a school-record for fewest losses and was the third-straight year with 12-or-more victories.

Prior to K-State, Smith served as an assistant coach on the Kansas staff from 2011 until 2015. During her time on the sidelines with the Jayhawks, she helped guide the program to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011 and 2014 and a trip to the Big 12 Conference tournament final in 2015.

Under Smith’s guidance, the Jayhawks’ offense tallied 35 or more goals in four seasons as the 2011 team registered one of the top offensive seasons in program history. KU scored the second-most goals in school history (46) and totaled 131 points, which was the third-highest single-season mark in program history.

In 2013, Smith was selected as one of 15 women by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) for their inaugural 30-Under-30 Coaching Program for rising coaches.

Before she joined the KU coaching staff, Smith coached at various levels in the Kansas City metro area, including as a varsity assistant coach for both the boys’ and girls’ teams at Olathe Northwest High School. During her time at ONWHS, she helped guide the Lady Ravens to back-to-back region championships in 2008 and 2009, while assisting with the Ravens’ boy’s regional championship team in 2007. Several of her players on both the girls’ and boys’ sides went on to play soccer at the collegiate level.

In addition to her coaching duties at Olathe Northwest, Smith served as a coach with the Kansas State Olympic Development Program (ODP) girls’ program. In 2008, she was an assistant with the 1992 team, which was the first Kansas ODP team (boys or girls) to win an ODP Regional Championship. Her team went on to participate in the US Youth Soccer National ODP Championship tournament.

Smith has also spent time working with TOPSoccer programs throughout the state of Kansas in 2008 until 2011 as a chairperson as well as a coach. TOPSoccer is U.S. Youth Soccer’s outreach program for children with special needs.

Starting in July 2019, Smith has been with the KC Fusion Soccer Club as the Director of Girls. Some of her duties there focused on coach education, player training and overall soccer program management.

As a student-athlete from 2002-05 with Kansas, Smith played in 83 career games and was team captain in 2005. She was a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and helped the Jayhawks win the Big 12 regular season title in 2004 and aided the 2003 squad to a third round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Smith scored 16 goals in her career with the Jayhawks including seven in her freshman season. Her 16 career goals ranks in the top 20 in school history. She also dished out 10 assists. She garnered a pair of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors and was named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week in 2005. She graduated from KU in 2006 with a degree in sports and fitness management.

Smith was an NSCAA All-American at Wichita Southeast High School. The product of Wichita, Kansas, is the program’s all-time leading scorer after graduating in 2002. At the end of her senior season in 2002, Smith was named Miss Soccer for the state of Kansas and the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year.

In 2012, Smith was an inaugural inductee into the Wichita Southeast High School Athletics Hall of Fame and in 2018 was named to the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.

Playing Career/Honors:
•   Wichita Sports Hall of Fame | 2018
•   Wichita Southeast High School Athletics Hall of Fame | 2012
•   University of Kansas | 2002-05
•   Team Captain | 2004-05
•   Big 12 Championship Team | 2004
•   NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 2003
•   Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week | 2002 & 2005 (2 times)
•   NSCAA High School All-American | 2002

What others are saying about Head Coach Jessica Smith…
•   Mark Francis, University of Kansas Head Coach: “Jess was an outstanding player for us and I also had the privilege of getting to work with her on our staff at KU, first as a volunteer assistant and then as a full time assistant. Jess does a great job on the field as a coach and is able to get her points across to the players in a positive and encouraging way, while at the same time still demanding excellence from them. Jess is a great recruiter and really connects with the potential student athletes as well as their parents. Jess is a great hire and I look forward to competing against Kansas City in the years to come."
•   Antal Vergeer, US Soccer Coaching Education: “I met Jess through the A Senior Course in 2018 and since that moment, I have gotten to know her as a coach that constantly wants to grow to become the best version of herself. Caring for people, dedication, being open-minded and always looking for opportunities to improve, are values she will bring to the program to further improve it."
•   Gene Taylor, Kansas State University Director of Athletics: “Jess is a highly regarded coach who cares deeply for her student-athletes and molds them into, not only great soccer players, but also model citizens. She has deep roots in the Kansas City soccer community and will be able to attract some of the best student-athletes in the area to play for her at Kansas City. This is a terrific hire and great days are ahead for the Roos program.”

Name	Title	Phone	Email Address
Jess Smith	Head Coach	816-235-5309	jessicasmith@umkc.edu
Mark Sheldon	Assistant Coach	816-235-5309	marksheldon@umkc.edu
Maddie Dobyns	Goalkeeper Coach		mkd6x6@umkc.edu

2026 Women's Soccer Coaching Staff

Coaching Staff

University of Missouri Kansas City Athletics