Ja'Rae Smith joined the VMI staff in June 2026 as the Director of Compliance.
Smith comes to Lexington after spending two years with Wagner as a Compliance Coordinator, monitoring and applying NCAA bylaws to 27 varsity sports. She also served as an academic advisor for over 15 student-athletes.
No stranger to the Southern Conference, Smith was a point guard for the Wofford women's basketball team from 2020-24. She piloted the Terriers to a 2022-23 Regular Season Southern Conference Championship, the first-ever SoCon title for any Wofford women’s team sport. Smith was named to the SoCon All-Academic Team all four years.
Smith graduated from Wofford in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in finance, followed by a master's degree in business administration - management from Wagner in 2026.
