Courtesy of Boise State Athletics
BOISE, Idaho – Taylor Smith, an All-Pac-10 outfielder and NCAA national champion at Washington, was named assistant coach of the Boise State softball team, head coach Cindy Ball announced Wednesday.
Smith played at Washington from 2009-12, being named to the All-Pacific Region First Team and All-Pac-10 honorable mention in 2011, as well as being part of the Huskies’ 2009 Women’s College World Series championship squad. She played for Ball, an assistant coach at Washington, over her final two seasons in Seattle from 2011-12.
“I’m very excited to join the Boise State family, and the softball program. I’d like to thank Coach `Bear’ (Ball’s nickname) for the opportunity to work with her once again and help the Bronco program work its way up to the next level,” Smith said. “Coach Bear had such a big impact on my career as a player and I am so blessed to be a part of her staff and help this program reach its goal of winning a national championship. We have a great group of girls and I am looking forward to working with them, watching them grow and helping them reach their full potential. I want to thank my family for all their love and support and always encouraging me to follow my dreams.”
In the summer of 2013 Smith founded Northwest Prospects Academy Softball and served as its president, handling all administrative and on-field matters for the club. There, she developed an academy-style softball organization which in addition to on-field training and preparation included creating and managing offseason regimens. Smith was also in charge of overseeing the hiring and management of coaching staffs of teams over multiple age groups.
“I am thrilled to have Taylor join our Bronco family,” Ball said. “Not only does she bring a national championship and NCAA Tournament experience to the program, she also brings a rare passion for the game. The team has immediately welcomed Taylor as one of its own. We are truly blessed to have this great person and coach on board.”
Prior to founding Northwest Prospects Academy Softball, Smith served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2012-13) at Woodinville High School in Woodinville, Wash. as well as head coach of the Team Seattle 14-under team.
Over her four seasons at Washington, Smith was part of a program that twice reached the Women’s College World Series (2009-10), winning the NCAA title in 2009. In each of her final two seasons in Seattle, the Huskies reached a Super Regional (2011-12). Smith left the program ranked fifth all-time with a .655 slugging percentage and as a member of a senior group that went 177-56 (.770) over its four-year tenure.
She enjoyed her finest season in 2011, being named to the All-Pacific Region First Team and All-Pac-10 honorable mention despite having her season cut short by injury in early April. Through 27 games, she batted .444 with, at the time of her injury, a team-leading 10 home runs, six doubles and 32 runs batted in.
After a freshman season (2009) in which she batted .238 off the bench with a pair of homers, Smith started 24 of 35 games in 2010, batting .270 with eight home runs and 25 RBI as Washington made a repeat trip to the Women’s College World Series. As a freshman, Smith also earned the distinction of hitting a home run in her first collegiate at-bat, going deep in the seventh inning of a 4-0 victory over Utah on Feb. 8, 2009.
Smith, a native of Olympia, Wash., graduated from Washington with a degree in anthropology in March 2012 and is currently working on her master’s degree in athletic administration from Central Washington University.
