Ross Smithey was named an assistant coach of the Emory University track and field team prior to the start of the 2009-10 season.  His duties consist of coaching the Eagles' multi-event athletes, throwers and jumpers.

During his first season with Emory, Smithey was part of the 2010 UAA Outdoor Women's Coaching Staff of the Year, helping the squad to a team championship.  Under his tutelage, Emory's men's and women's throwers scored in every event at the outdoor championship for the first time since the 2004 season.  Smithey also coached his athletes to school records in the women's high jump and men's heptathlon, the second-highest pole mark vault in school history, six all-UAA honors and a South/Southeast Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year honor.

Smithey comes to Emory from the NCAA Division II University of Central Missouri, where he was an all-conference athlete in the decathlon, helping his team to two MIAA Indoor Championships and three Outdoor Championships.  He also competed at Doane College, where he was an NAIA all-American in the heptathlon and the decathlon, in addition to all-conference honors in the pole vault and the 110-meter hurdles.

Smithey graduated from the University of Central Missouri in May of 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.  He holds a USA Track and Field Coaching Level 1 certification, and had worked at various track and field camps, in addition to serving as a certified therapist at the Accelerated Recovery Performance Therapy Clinic.