BOONE, N.C. – App State Men's Basketball head coach
Dustin Kerns announced Friday the promotion of both
Bob Szorc and
Tanner Smith to Associate Head Coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.
"
Bob Szorc and
Tanner Smith are future Division I head coaches," Kerns said. "I am excited for them as they have had a major impact on our program and have earned this recognition in taking the next steps toward running their own program. I am proud of their contributions and continued influence on App State Basketball.
"Bob and his wife, Taylor, are tremendous representatives of this university and in the community. Tanner, Julia, Stone and Steele are a family that embodies the values of App State and the High Country."
Szorc, who has been an assistant coach at App State for the past six years, moves into the role of Associate Head Coach for the first time in his career. He has been on Kerns' staff since he became a head coach in 2017.
"Appreciative and grateful are two words I would use to describe this opportunity to continue to impact our student-athletes on and off the court," Szorc said. "It is an honor to be a part of what Coach Kerns continues to build at App State, and the success we've had speaks to who he is as a leader and a person. I am excited about the future and continuing to contribute to the best stretch of basketball in program history."
A St. John's (MN) graduate, Szorc has helped guide the Mountaineers to 114 wins and two Sun Belt championships in his tenure. He has played a large role in turning App State into one of the best defensive teams in the country, as it has paced the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense each of the last four seasons.
In addition to his success on the mountain, Szorc was invited to the Jay Bilas Coaches Leadership program following the 2024-25 season. He became the third coach under Kerns to be invited to the prestigious event.
Smith, who enters his third season at App State, will assume the role of Associate Head Coach for the first time in his coaching career. He was an integral part of App State's regular-season Sun Belt championship team in 2023-24, which was his second regular-season championship as a coach (Stephen F. Austin, 2022).
"I'm incredibly honored to be named Associate Head Coach," Smith said. "I'm deeply grateful to Coach Kerns for his trust and for this special opportunity. My family and I are proud to be a part of the App State Family and are excited to continue contributing to the most successful era in App State Basketball history."
Over his first two seasons with the Mountaineers, Smith has been instrumental in the development of App State's guards, helping two earn first-team All-Sun Belt honors (
Myles Tate and Donovan Gregory). Additionally, both Tate and Gregory received second-team All-District honors from the NABC under Smith's guidance.
Smith was also invited to the Jay Bilas Coaches Leadership Program following the 2023-24 season, as well as the TopConnect Basketball Symposium prior to that season. The TopConnect Symposium identifies the top assistant coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major athletic directors.
App State's 2025-26 campaign is set to tip off on Nov. 3 when it travels to face the Central Michigan Chippewas as part of the MAC-SBC Challenge. The first chance to see the Mountaineers at home is Nov. 5 against Carolina University.
