Coach Brian has more than 30 years of coaching experience across all levels of competitive swimming. Prior to joining the Hurricanes as Head Coach in 2024, Coach Brian spent 16 seasons at the University of Georgia and served as Associate Head Coach for ten years During his time with UGA, he was instrumental in shaping the careers of numerous elite swimmers. He made significant contributions at Georgia, particularly in coaching sprinters. He served as the primary coach for numerous Georgia recordholders, including Michael Trice (50 and 100 freestyle, relays), Dillon Downing (50 and 100 freestyle, relays), Camden Murphy (100 butterfly, relays), Michael Arnold (50 freestyle, relays), Doug Reynolds (100 butterfly, relays), Taylor Dale (100 backstroke, relays), Olivia Smoliga (50 and 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, relays), Chelsea Britt (100 butterfly, relay), Chantal Van Landeghem (relays), and Veronica Burchill (relay). He also helped the Women’s team achieve six straight SEC Championship titles from 2010-2016, and three NCAA National Championship titles in 2013, 2014, 2016. He helped secure the team’s twelve top ten NCAA team finishes, including three of the four Men's best program finishes ever.

While serving as the recruiting coordinator for Georgia Swim/Dive, Coach Smith consistently brought top-tier talent to Athens. Notably, in 2019, both the men’s and women’s freshman classes were ranked in the top five nationally, with six freshmen earning CSCAA All-America honors. His efforts were pivotal in securing Olympians Olivia Smoliga, Javier Acevedo and Nic Fink, along with other notable swimmers including Camden Murphy, Dakota Luther, Reese Branzell, and Columbus High School graduate and All-American, Jessica Graber. 

Coach Brian served as a USA Swimming National Team coach from 2014 to 2021 and served as the United States women's head coach at the 2018 Short Course World Championships in China, and as an assistant coach at the 2016 Short Course World Championships in Canada and the 2017 World University Games in Taiwan. Notably, he served as primary coach for National Team athletes Anne Marie Botek, Maddie Locus, Taylor Dale, and Olivia Smoliga. 

Coach Brian's coaching journey began in 1991 at Arizona State, where he worked as a graduate assistant and assistant coach. His subsequent roles at Rice University, FAST in Montana, Northern Arizona University, and Ohio University further honed his skills and contributed to his reputation as a leading coach in the swimming community. A 1990 graduate of Clark University with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Smith also holds a master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Ohio University.