Nicole Smith is ready for her second season with the Tiger softball team, having led the team to a 26-12 in her first year.

She led the Tigers to their third straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship last season, defeating Centre 2-0 in the conference title game.  The win also put Trinity in the NCAA playoffs, and the Tigers finished 1-2 at the regional tournament in Pineville, Louisiana.

Coach Smith was a standout player for Trinity from 1997 through 2000. The talented infielder was elected to the All-SCAC First Teams in 1999 and 2000, as well as to the All-Region Second Team in 2000.

As captain and an infielder, Coach Smith helped lead the Tigers team to two back-to-back SCAC titles in 1999 and 2000. Trinity also made its first-ever NCAA Division III tournament appearance in 2000.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Trinity in 2000 and a Master of Education in sports administration from the University of Houston in 2005.

Coach Smith, a native of Sugar Land, Texas (Elkins), had been an assistant for the past five years with Houston. She was responsible for infield defense and offensive strategies for the Cougars, who amassed a record of 150-96 and earned an NCAA Division I postseason appearance.

The versatile Coach Smith worked for the San Antonio Sports Foundation during her senior year at Trinity, serving in a number of capacities. She assisted on a variety of projects, including the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Final Four events.

The Tigers have won six SCAC titles and played in five NCAA tournaments since 1999, the first year the conference recognized softball as a championship sport.

Coach Smith was married to Tim Smith this past summer in San Antonio.