Bucknell University Athletics
Photo by: Marc Hagemeier
Bucknell Baseball Adds Brett Smith as Hitting Coach
9/21/2022 10:51:00 AM | Baseball
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell University baseball head coach Scott Heather has announced the addition of former Bison great Brett Smith '17 as the program's hitting coach.Â
Smith is no stranger to Lewisburg and Depew Field, where he started 191 consecutive games in center field and is Bucknell's all-time leader in games played (199), games started (199), at bats (787) and hits (232). Smith also ranks second in the Bucknell record books in runs scored (156) and walks (93).Â
The native of Hanover, Pa. was named the Patriot League's inaugural Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 as a senior, and was also a unanimous First Team All-Patriot League outfielder in that same season.
The 2014 Patriot League Rookie of the Year also helped the Bison to a team championship as a first-year, managing three hits over two games in the Patriot League Championship Series against Lehigh. Smith is one of just ten Bison to earn All-Patriot League honors three times in his career.     Â
After graduation Smith went on to play one full season with the Pittsburg Diamonds in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, where he continued to show off his hitting prowess by hitting .320 at the plate and setting the single-season record for runs scored.Â
Smith then went on to play two seasons in Washington, Pennsylvania before making the transition into coaching as the head assistant at Delone Catholic, his alma mater. Smith coached next to his father during that season, helping the team to its first district title since his senior season at the school in 2013. The Squires then went on to qualify for the AA state semifinals, which is the furthest the team has ever advanced in the state tournament.Â
Smith joins a Bison program that hit .284 last season and advanced to the Patriot League Championship Series. Bucknell returns Jacob Corson and Kyle Lyons from that team, who both ranked in the top ten in the conference in batting average as well as Grant Voytovich, who accumulated 62 hits to rank sixth in the Patriot League last season. Â
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Smith is no stranger to Lewisburg and Depew Field, where he started 191 consecutive games in center field and is Bucknell's all-time leader in games played (199), games started (199), at bats (787) and hits (232). Smith also ranks second in the Bucknell record books in runs scored (156) and walks (93).Â
The native of Hanover, Pa. was named the Patriot League's inaugural Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 as a senior, and was also a unanimous First Team All-Patriot League outfielder in that same season.
The 2014 Patriot League Rookie of the Year also helped the Bison to a team championship as a first-year, managing three hits over two games in the Patriot League Championship Series against Lehigh. Smith is one of just ten Bison to earn All-Patriot League honors three times in his career.     Â
After graduation Smith went on to play one full season with the Pittsburg Diamonds in the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, where he continued to show off his hitting prowess by hitting .320 at the plate and setting the single-season record for runs scored.Â
Smith then went on to play two seasons in Washington, Pennsylvania before making the transition into coaching as the head assistant at Delone Catholic, his alma mater. Smith coached next to his father during that season, helping the team to its first district title since his senior season at the school in 2013. The Squires then went on to qualify for the AA state semifinals, which is the furthest the team has ever advanced in the state tournament.Â
Smith joins a Bison program that hit .284 last season and advanced to the Patriot League Championship Series. Bucknell returns Jacob Corson and Kyle Lyons from that team, who both ranked in the top ten in the conference in batting average as well as Grant Voytovich, who accumulated 62 hits to rank sixth in the Patriot League last season. Â
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