WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Palm Beach Atlantic women's basketball head coach Grahm Smith announced on Tuesday morning that Gage Ash will join the program as assistant coach.
"I am incredibly grateful to Coach Grahm Smith and the entire Palm Beach Atlantic administration for this opportunity," said Ash. "From the moment I stepped on campus, it was clear that this is a special place filled with people who genuinely care about developing student athletes. I'm excited to build meaningful relationships with our players, compete for championships, and represent Palm Beach Atlantic with pride. I am eager to get to work! "
Ash makes his way to West Palm after spending the last three seasons as the assistant women's basketball coach at Emory & Henry University. During his time with the Wasps, he also led the men's developmental team as head coach. Ash brings experience from the Division I and Division II levels with a strong background in recruiting, player development, and the day-to-day operations of successful basketball programs.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Gage to the staff," said Coach Smith. "He is a passionate, hardworking coach who brings a tremendous knowledge of the game and a relentless commitment to player development."
During his time at Emory & Henry, Ash assisted with all facets of the women's basketball program, including recruiting coordination, player development, practice planning, game preparation, scouting preparation, NCAA compliance, academic support, and team operations. He played a large role in the continued development of the Wasps program both on and off the court.
In the classroom, Ash helped guide the program to a 3.625 team GPA during the 2023-24 academic year, earning WBCA Academic Top 25 recognition with a national ranking of 30th. The program followed that performance with a 3.249 GPA during the 2024-25 academic year. On the court, he contributed to the development of three All-Conference selections and one Freshman All-Conference honoree. In addition to his work with the women's basketball program, Ash served as the head coach of Emory & Henry's men's developmental team, overseeing all aspects of the program, including practice planning, game management, budget oversight, and player development. During his tenure, four student-athletes advanced to the varsity roster, while several others continued their collegiate careers at other institutions.
A graduate of Ohio University, Ash spent four years as a student manager for the Bobcats women's basketball program and was promoted to head manager during his junior year. In that role, he assisted with scout team operations, player workouts, practice organization, travel logistics, and the daily operations of an NCAA Division I program.
"Gage brings experience at both the NCAA Division I and Division II levels, strong recruiting relationships, player development experience, and a professionalism that aligns with our standards and vision for the program," said head coach Smith. "Most importantly, Gage believes in building meaningful relationships with student-athletes while helping them grow on and off the court. His energy, work ethic, and commitment to excellence will be a great addition to our program and I am confident that he will be a tremendous asset to our program and our student-athletes!"
