Bob Smith enters his second season as the head coach of the Chowan University baseball program after bringing decades of collegiate, professional, and player development experience to the Hawks.
Smith was named head coach of the Hawks on June 6, 2025, bringing with him an accomplished coaching résumé that spans the collegiate, summer league, and professional baseball ranks.
During his first season leading the Hawks in 2026, Smith focused on establishing the foundation and culture of the program while emphasizing player development in the highly competitive Conference Carolinas. Throughout the season, several student-athletes emerged as key contributors and future building blocks for the Hawks.
Under Smith’s guidance, Ahmaad Goldson earned D2CCA All-Southeast Region honors as both a pitcher and utility player after producing one of the top all-around seasons in the conference. Goldson’s leadership proved instrumental throughout the campaign as he led the Hawks in RBIs (29), home runs (4), and strikeouts on the mound (46).
Smith also helped mentor KJ Durand Jr. to College Sports Communicators All-District recognition, highlighting the program’s continued commitment to excellence both on the field and in the classroom.
The Hawks additionally saw the emergence of a talented freshman class that provided excitement for the future of the program. Jordan Turner led the team with a .421 batting average and 40 hits during an impressive debut season, while Derrick Davis delivered steady defensive play in the outfield with a .982 fielding percentage. Jacob Howard also emerged as a dependable presence at first base, continuing to give the Hawks consistency on both sides of the ball.
A Pennsylvania native, Smith began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Louisiana State University while completing his Master of Science in Education. Following his time at LSU, Smith joined the staff at University of Tennessee as a full-time assistant coach before spending four seasons at the University of Kentucky. During his tenure with the Wildcats, Smith helped guide the program to a 41-20 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1991.
Smith later accepted a pitching coach position at Virginia Commonwealth University where he helped the Rams capture a Metro Conference Championship and earn an NCAA Tournament berth during his three-year stint.
After departing the collegiate ranks, Smith founded a baseball academy in Richmond, Virginia, where he established long-term roots while building a successful grassroots player development organization that remains active throughout the greater Richmond area. More than 50 players from the academy have gone on to be selected in the MLB Draft.
The veteran coach eventually returned to the college game as a pitching coach at George Washington University and also gained extensive summer league experience, including serving as head coach of the Petersburg Generals in 2010. Smith additionally coached in both the Coastal Plain League and the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Alongside his collegiate coaching career, Smith has worked as a professional scout for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals. Throughout his coaching career, Smith has helped mentor and develop 118 players who were eventually selected in the MLB Draft.
