College notebook: Coaching hires, recruiting commitments

Northeastern assistant coach Jason Smith is on the move to Brown. (Jim Pierce/Northeastern Athletics)

Brown University has hired former Northeastern assistant coach Jason Smith to serve in the same capacity for the Bears under head coach Brendan Whittet, as first reported by veteran hockey writer Mark Divver.

Smith had served as an assistant under Jim Madigan at Northeastern for the past five seasons after being in the position of director of hockey operations at the school for the previous season.

Prior to joining the Northeastern staff, Smith had been an assistant coach at Holy Cross, Babson and Salem State, his alma mater. Smith, a West Yarmouth, Mass., native, played for the Vikings from 1995-98. He was the team's captain during his junior and senior seasons.

Smith was named director of hockey operations at Northeastern earlier this offseason after the Huskies promoted Mike McLaughlin to the role of assistant coach. At Brown, Smith fills the void left by James Marcou, who took a similar post at Harvard.