When Smesko arrived at FGCU, the program competed in Division II.By the time he left to become the next head coach of the Atlanta Dream, the Eagles had established themselves as one of the premier programs in Division I women’s basketball.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.
If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.Under Smesko, FGCU routinely led the nation in 3-pointers made.
The Eagles also recorded eight 30-win seasons and advanced to the NCAA tournament 10 times with Smesko at the helm, but he never captured the ultimate prize: an NCAA Division I championship.Perhaps the call about the opportunity in Atlanta came at just the right time for Smesko.
He may have accomplished nearly everything possible at FGCU, effectively reaching the program's ceiling.Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko reacts during a WNBA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Atlanta Dream on Sept.17, 2026, at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga.
(Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)ATLANTA DREAM ADVANCE TO WNBA PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2018 WITH GAME 2 WINPerhaps Smesko realized that his long-sought dream of hoisting a championship trophy would require him to step outside his comfort zone and take a chance with the actual Dream at the professional basketball level.So far, Smesko’s gamble has worked out.He has guided Atlanta to back-to-back 30-win seasons, and after a first-round exit last year, the Dream have swept their first two opponents in the 2026 postseason to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko talks to the media after the game against the New York Liberty during Game 3 of the 2026 WNBA semifinals on Oct.
9, 2026, at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York.(Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)The championship he was never going to get at FGCU is...