Coaching Staff

Smith enters his fourth season at the helm of the McDaniel softball program, replacing George Dix, who retired after completing one of Division III softball’s more remarkable coaching careers, after the 2004 Centennial Conference (CC) championship season.

In his first three seasons with the Green Terror, he has compiled a 57-57 record and appeared in the CC tournament twice.

Prior to his arrival at McDaniel, Smith coached softball in various capacities since 1998, including coaching at South Western High School in Hanover from 2000-03. Smith has been involved in the Junior Olympic-Amateur Softball Association (ASA) travel softball programs in York County, Pa. He also coached the 23-and-under York County College All-Star team, which played against competition that included the Greek Olympic Team.

The 1986 graduate of Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., was an all-conference baseball player and played a season in the minor leagues.

A graduate of Westminster High School, he was an all-area football player and selected to the first Maryland Crown all-state baseball team in 1982.

Smith boasts an ASA certification as coach and instructor, and is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), where he serves on the Camp & Clinic committee. Over the past several years, he has conducted and instructed at several clinics and camps throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region, including the Green Terror Softball summer camps and fall/winter clinics.

Smith lives in Hanover, Pa., with his wife Paula. They have three daughters, Brianna, a senior softball player at California University (Pa.), Tiffani, a freshman pitcher at Liberty University, and Allysia, who is active softball player on a travel team.

Rick Eyler, Assistant Coach

Rick Eyler brings more than 20 years of coaching experience to McDaniel. The former high school coach is accompanied by a laundry list of credentials as he assumes the assistant coach and hitting instructor duties for the Terror.

Eyler compiled a .800 plus winning percentage at the helm of South Western High School in Hanover, Pa., twice capturing Coach of the Year honors during his tenure.

Eyler has also worked with some of the premier fastpitch twirlers in Pennsylvania as a pitching instructor over the past several years.

The Westminster native was inducted into the Carroll County Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 for his outstanding athletic career at Westminster High School, as well as his football career at Clemson University.