Asha Gibson-Smith enters her 14th year coaching and third year at Drake where she has directed the program into the upper echelon of the Missouri Valley Conference.
In 2021, Drake track and field had a historic showing at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships and qualified seven student-athletes to the NCAA West Prelims and three Bulldogs to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, all of whom earned All-America honors.
At the 2021 MVC Outdoor Championships, the bulldog men combined for 135 team points, good for 3rd place overall which is the highest team finish for the program since 1974 and the most team points scored since 1968. With seven individual conference champions, the men tied the program record, which was set in 1933. The women finished 7th overall with 52 team points, the highest point total for the women since 2016. Drake placed 11 men within the top eight at the conference championship, while seven women placed within the top eight individually.
In 2021, five male student-athletes claimed a total of eight conference title with David Olowookere (400mH), Cloud Masibhera (LJ/TJ), Adam Fogg (1,500/5,000/10,000m), Will Tsai (JT) and Isaac Basten (3,000m/Indoor) finishing on top of the podium. The Bulldogs also had two female student-athletes win a total of three league title from Yinka Mary Ajayi (400/400) and Elizabeth Aho (5,000m). In addition, the Bulldogs had four runner-up finishes from Gal Arad (200m), Adam Kessler (SP), Joey Harkins (WT) and Busiwa Asinga (400mH).
Highlighting the year of historic achievement was Yinka Mary Ajayi who qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Drake 400-meter champion is just the fifth Drake track & field athlete to ever compete in the Olympics, the first female and the first since 1960. At the conference championship, Ajayi is undefeated at the 400 meter distance – owning a three-win streak in the event.
Gibson-Smith also guided MVC Freshman of the Year, Gal Arad, to a runner-up finish in the 200 meters and third place finish in the 100 meters. Arad continued to perform well after his debut season and ran a personal best of 21.01 in the 200 meters as a semi-finalist at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.
David Olowookere also had a sound freshman campaign as he won the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a personal best of 50.81 at the MVC Outdoor Championship. Olowookere was named Most Outstanding Performer for his efforts and thus qualified for the NCAA West Prelims with the 17th best qualifying mark in the West region and top 30 in the NCAA.
Female hurdler, Busiwa Asinga also experienced a breakout season as she acquired a personal best 58.07 in the 400-meter hurdles. The MVC runner-up earned a spot at the NCAA West Prelims with the 14th best qualifying mark in the West region and top 30 in the NCAA.
Gibson-Smith came to Drake following a successful five-year tenure at Tennessee State University where she served as the associate head track and field coach of the women's and men’s team and a human performance and aport acience Instructor.
In five seasons with the Tigerbelles and Flying Tigers, Gibson-Smith won two Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) track and field championship titles. While at TSU, she coached two NCAA DI All-Americans, two OVC Female Athlete of the Year recipients (all sports), three OVC Athlete of the Championships, 10 NCAA East preliminary qualifiers and 11 OVC individual champions.
While at TSU Gibson-Smith mentored Tigerbelle Amber Hughes who was a 26-time Ohio Valley Conference champion, 2016 US Olympic Trials qualifier and 2017 USATF National Championship qualifier while at Tennessee State. The 2017 Ohio Valley Female Athlete of the Year maintains OVC records in the 60 meter hurdles (8.24), 100 meter hurdles (13.12), indoor triple jump 43’09.75” (13.35m) and outdoor triple jump 44’04.25” (13.52m). Hughes’ dominance led to four Athlete of the Championship honors and multiple titles in the 60 meter hurdles, 100 meter hurdle, 200 meters, long jump and triple jump, 4x100 meter relays and 4x4 meter relays.
Gibson-Smith also coached Tigerbelle Clairwin Dameus, the 2016 NACAC U23 Championships Heptathlon Silver Medalist. Dameus was Tennessee State’s first two-time Division I First Team All-American honoree. Also in 2016, she was named the Ohio Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year (all sports). Throughout her career she garnered Most Valuable Player of the OVC Championship three times. As one of the most versatile student-athletes in program history, she amassed 16 conference championships, qualified to four NCAA National Championships and currently holds conference records in the indoor pentathlon (4226 points), long jump 21’01.50” (6.44m), 4 x 400 meter relay and outdoor heptathlon (5729 points) and long jump 20’11.25” (6.38m).
In 2018, Flying Tiger James Faison garnered OVC Athlete of the Year honors for the indoor season and swept the 200 meters & 400 meters at the 2018 OVC Indoor and Outdoor Championships with an individual best of 21.15 and 47.12, respectfully. 2018 was also an astounding season for Flying Tiger Isaiah Olige as he had a progressive campaign under Gibson-Smith’s guidance. Olige, a NCAA East Preliminaries qualifier, left an impressionable mark as the 2018 OVC 100mH and 400mH silver medalist. Olige concluded his tenure with a personal bests of 51.68 in the 400mH.
Gibson-Smith transitioned to Tennessee State after spending six seasons at her alma mater, Jacksonville State University. While at Jacksonville State, 14 school records were broken in the 55m, 60m, 55H, 60H, 100m, 200m (Indoor/Outdoor), 300m, 500m, 100H, 400H, 4x100m, 4x400m and the program gained over 12 conference champions.
Under Gibson-Smith’s tutelage, Laveeta Oliver was named the 2011 Indoor and Outdoor Female Athlete of the Championship and won over 10 OVC individual and relay championships throughout her career. Oliver holds school records in three individual events: 55m (7.01), 60m (7.42),100m (11.52) and two relays 4x100m (45.1), 4x400m(3:38).
In In 2015, guided Shamira Barrett to a sprint sweep at the 2014 Outdoor Championship in the 100m and 200m. Barrett gained seven OVC conference championships during her time at JSU and qualified for two post season appearances at the NCAA East Preliminaries. Barrett holds school records in two individual events: 200m indoors (24.22), 200m outdoors (23.64), and two relays 4x100m (45.10), 4x400m (3:38.15).
Gibson-Smith, a USATF Level 3, IAAF Level V coach, has earned number of USTFCCCA and USATF certifications throughout her professional career. She holds USAW Level I and USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning Specialist certifications and has participated in the USOC/USATF Emerging Elite Coaches Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. She serves as a USATF Level 1 Instructor and currently serving as a Female Mentor for the USTFCCCA Female Coaching Mentorship program.
A native of Birmingham, Ala., Gibson-Smith was the former record holder in the 55-meter dash, 60-meter dash, and 100m dash at Jacksonville State and recipient of the Ohio Valley Conference Medal of Honor. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Jacksonville State University in the fall of 2008 in health education and received her master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in human performance in 2013.
