Kermit Smith became Lander's fifth head baseball coach when he was hired in June 2009.

Smith spent eight years as Belmont Abbey's head coach, and nine overall with the program. During his time there, Smith worked diligently to improve the team athletically and academically. In 2002, he became the youngest head coach in the nation at age 23. That year the team went 35-20, won the conference regular season championship, and just missed on a regional bid.

Smith's Crusaders, who reached the NCAA Division II World Series for the first time in school history in 2009, finished the season with a 40-26 record, and won the Carolinas Conference regular-season title with a 14-5 mark. They qualified for the Regionals by capturing their first-ever Conference Carolinas Tournament title, winning five games in a 48-hour period and having to beat Erskine twice for the championship.

In 2008, Smith led the Crusaders to a memorable year, finishing the season with a 41-22 record and a trip to the NCAA South Atlantic Regional. Six Crusaders were named all-conference and sophomore second baseman Alex Castellanos was drafted in the 10th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. The 41 wins set a school record, and the 2008 senior class became the winningest class in school history. The Crusaders also achieved the highest national ranking in the school's history until 2009, with a 26th national ranking.

In 2007, the Crusaders finished second in the nation with 78 home runs and third in the country in doubles with 141. Throughout the course of Smith's tenure, he has developed a reputation of being one of the best hitting coaches around. Smith has guided four hitters to All-American status, and 18 hitters and 26 players overall to all-conference seasons, and eight who have been named all-region.

Smith became the winningest coach in Belmont Abbey history on February 4, 2008.

Smith served as the chair for the Conference Carolinas coaches. He was also the chair for the Belmont Abbey coaches' council. Kermit was an active member of the community. He served as the head coach for the Gaston Braves American Legion team from 2002-2007, guiding them to a 99-62 record. He was also a regular as a speaker at major functions in the surrounding area.

Smith graduated from Pfeiffer University and received his master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania. He is a native of Arcadia, Fla., where his parents George and Sue Ellen still reside. Coach Smith is married to the former Rebecca Hethcox and the couple welcomed their first child into the world June 11, 2007, Maddox Kilpatrick Smith.

Smith also served as Belmont Abbey's hitting instructor and catching coach. One of his prize pupils, sophomore first baseman Daniel Kassouf, was named to the 2009 American Baseball Coaches Association's All-Southeast Region and All-America teams. Kassouf, one of the top hitters at all levels of NCAA baseball, finished the year with a .370 average and an NCAA Division II leading 29 home runs, 23 doubles and 90 runs batted in. He was named first-team All-Region and second-team All-American.