Ally Yamada enters her first season as Assistant Coach for the 2026-27 season, after serving as Graduate Assistant at Smith College for the last two seasons.
While at Smith, Yamada helped the Pioneers to a 59-5 record from 2024-2026, including capturing a pair of New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) and an appearance in the 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship game. In 2026, the Smith coaching staff was named the NEWMAC Coaching Staff of the Year, with Yamada mentoring four NEWMAC All-Conference selections, a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) First Team All-American and a All-American Honorable Mention.
Yamada collaborated with coaching staff in program’s “In the Huddle” Donor Club & “Playmakers” Kids’ Club to organize events, enhance program visibility within the community, and promote alumni engagement and fundraising efforts. Yamada has recruited and managed around 200 prospective student athletes, while generating detailed evaluations, assisting with recruiting outreach, visit itineraries and contacts with recruits, collecting academic materials & submitted pre-reads to admissions offices. Yamada served as a graduate instructor of Exercise Sports and Studies and a member of the Inclusion Council while earning a master’s degree in Exercise Sports and Studies.
As an undergraduate at Smith, Yamada guided the Pioneers to four straight NEWMAC Championships, with two NCAA Division III Championship game appearances and two Sweet 16 appearances. A team captain from 2023-24, Yamada is the program’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made and owns the single-season record for three-point field goals made. Yamada collected 2024 All-NEWMAC First Team and 2024 New England Women’s Basketball Association (NEWBA) All-Region accolades. Yamada received her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in Exercise Sports and Studies.
