Mizzou basketball names associate head coach. He’s been with Dennis Gates for 3 years
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Missouri promoted assistant Kyle Smithpeters to associate head coach.
- Smithpeters helped build Mizzou’s 2023 No. 5-ranked recruiting class.
- He replaces Charlton Young, who joined Miami’s coaching staff this offseason.
Missouri men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates announced Tuesday that the Tigers are promoting assistant Kyle Smithpeters to the role of associate head coach.
Smithpeters, who joined Missouri in 2022, has been with Gates and company for the last three seasons, including two NCAA Tournament appearances.
“Kyle has played a pivotal role as we’ve restored Missouri basketball nationally and placed it among the top of the SEC,” Gates said in a news release. “During the last three seasons, his efforts in recruiting and development of student-athletes is one of the key reasons for our success at Mizzou. He has been tremendous at building relationships and locking down top targets before helping them reach their full potential on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”
Smithpeters initially joined the Tigers after a 10-year run coaching John A. Logan Community College. The Mizzou news release credited him with helping build MU’s No. 5-ranked recruiting class in 2023.
The Tigers went 22-12 (10-8 SEC) last season. They went 25-10 (11-7) in his first year before an infamous 0-18 league season (8-24 overall record) in 2023-24.
“I’ve enjoyed every aspect of my first three seasons with Missouri basketball and I couldn’t be more thrilled in my new role as associate head coach,” Smithpeters said in the MU release. “I’m truly excited about the future as there is so much more that we can accomplish. I’m honored to work with so many great basketball minds on a daily basis.
“To learn from Coach Gates — from X’s and O’s to game management — has been very fulfilling and I’m looking forward to continuing to build off that as we elevate the Mizzou program even further.”
Before his time at Mizzou, Smithpeters was an assistant at Southeastern Illinois (2006-07), John A. Logan (2007-11) and Missouri State (2011-12). He returned to John A Logan as the head coach in 2012 and filled that role for 10 years before departing for Columbia.
He fills the vacancy left by previous associate head coach Charlton “C.Y.” Young, who departed for Miami this offseason.
“He has exceeded all of my expectations,” Gates said, “and this promotion is well earned as we continue to chase championships.”