Revere High School graduate Karl Smesko is leaving Florida Gulf Coast University to become the coach of the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA.

Smesko, 54, heads to the WNBA after 23 seasons as Florida Gulf Coast's women's basketball coach. Smesko compiled a record 611-112 as the school's first and until now only coach. He is 672-139 overall as a head coach with previous stints as the women's coach at Walsh University and Purdue Fort Wayne.

Smesko, a 1989 Revere graduate, had the third-highest winning percentage (.829) among active Division I women's basketball coaches, trailing only UConn's Geno Auriemma and LSU's Kim Mulkey.

FGCU and UConn are the only Division I teams that have won 25 or more games in each of the last 14 seasons.

"The W has intrigued me as a possibility for a long time," Smekso told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "When this opportunity came up, it really seemed like the right place and the right time. I had great conversations with the general manager and with their ownership and this is the right move for me right now.

"... I'm not scared from a challenge. Things are in place for great things to happen in Atlanta and if we make great decisions along the way and continue to improve, anything is possible. I wouldn't be going to Atlanta if I didn't think a WNBA championship wasn't a realistic possibility."

Atlanta went 15-25 in the regular season in 2024 and made the playoffs, losing in the first round to the eventual WNBA champion New York Liberty. The Dream haven't had a winning record since the 2018 season.

"Karl is a proven leader with a history of developing his players and creating a winning culture," Dream general manager Dan Padover said in a news release. "His fast-paced, innovative style of play will be attractive to our players and fans alike. We are excited to have Karl bring his incredible basketball IQ to the Dream."

Dream owner Larry Gottesdiener called the hiring "an exciting moment for our fans, the city of Atlanta, and the entire Dream organization."

"A great basketball mind is coming to our city," Gottesdiener said. "Karl's passion for and commitment to women's basketball bring out the best in everyone around him. I am confident we have found the right leader to take our organization to the next level."

Smesko, a basketball and football player at Revere, earned degrees from Kent State in 1993 and Walsh University in 1998. He was Walsh's head coach for one season and led the Cavaliers to the 1997-98 NAIA Division II national title. He spent one season as an assistant at Maryland two seasons as Purdue Fort Wayne's head coach before going to FGCU.

Smesko arrived in Fort Myers in 2001 and built FGCU's women's basketball program from the start. In his first year, Division II FGCU went 30-1 in 2002-03. FGCU jumped to Division I in 2007 and joined the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Eagles won 84 of their first 85 conference home games.

Smesko won 20 or more games every season at FGCU, and compiled seven 30-win seasons. During his 23-year run, FGCU was the winningest Division I program with a .845 winning percentage, won 14 Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season titles with seven undefeated seasons in the league, earned 11 Atlantic Sun Conference tournament championships, made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and won four NCAA Tournament games.

"Coach Smesko's legacy at FGCU is not just about winning games," FGCU president Aysegul Timur said in a news release. "It's about the students and employees he has mentored along the way, providing them with opportunities for growth and success on and off the court. Now, it's his turn to soar, and we are so proud of him."

Three of FGCU's NCAA Tournament victories came as a No. 12 seed — over Missouri in 2018, Virginia Tech in 2022 and Washington State in 2023. The 2014-15 Eagles team was ranked as high as No. 21 in the AP poll.

FGCU led the nation in 3-pointers per game five out of the last seven seasons. FGCU broke the NCAA record for the most 3s in a single season with 431 in 2017-18.

"There is joy and sadness with the departure of Karl Smesko," FGCU director of athletics Colin Hargis said in a news release. "As the founding head coach of our women's basketball program, Karl has led this team to national prominence. He orchestrated the rise of a start-up to a destination program. I am excited for Karl and grateful for his contributions to this department and university. We look forward to seeing what lies ahead and the impact he will make at his next position in the WNBA."

Smesko is a 13-time Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year and coached 10 ASUN Player of the Year award winners. Smesko also developed two WNBA draft picks at FGCU, including Canton McKinley graduate Kierstan Bell, the 11th overall pick by the Las Vegas Aces in 2022. Bell is now a two-time WNBA champion with the Aces.

“I am humbled and honored to be the head coach of the Atlanta Dream,” Smesko said in a news release. “I am grateful for a remarkable 23 years at FGCU and will be forever indebted to the amazing women who have played for me, the incredible professionals who have coached with me, and the passionate fanbase who supported us along the way. I’m thankful to the leadership of the Atlanta Dream for their faith in me to lead this organization into the future and can’t wait to get started.”

Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Revere graduate Karl Smesko hired to coach Atlanta Dream in WNBA