(Photo by Katharine Roberts)
Steven Smith, new head coach for the Golden Eagles baseball team, expressed excitement over his new teams’ professionalism during a meet-and-greet event Monday in the Eagles’ Nest of the Hoop.
“The highlight… for me were the players,” Smith said. “I didn’t know what I expected when I walked into the room on Dec. 18. I just know what I saw was not what I had expected. It was eight to 10 guys completely buttoned up, clean-cut, that stood up and shook my hand.”
Smith joined the Golden Eagles on Dec. 20 after former coach Justin Holmes was fired in November for violating conduct codes.
The 2019 Golden Eagle baseball team ended their season 22-32 and 9-21 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The first regular season game of 2020 is scheduled for Feb. 14 against the University of Evansville.
During the meet-and-greet, Smith discussed how the team’s talent will help during the season, as well as his plans for bringing the team together.
“I enjoy seeing players get better. I like seeing the players develop and teams playing well together. Nothing beats experience except a lot of really good talent,” Smith said. “I’m just going to be me and put in a system that these guys can embrace, and that will be effective and just keep going.”
Smith served as the head coach for the USA Baseball National Team in 2005 and pitching coach at Auburn University in 2018 and 2019. He gained the most wins in the history of Baylor Athletics at Baylor University.
