Legendary D1 Softball Coach MIke Smith Leaves Ole Miss to Become the Executive Director of College Scouting for NSR

-- National Scouting Report (NSR), the worlds longest tenured recruiting organization, announces today that legendary coach Mike Smith will be joining NSR as its Executive Director of Scouting.
"We are so excited to have Coach Smith come on board and help lead our scouts around the world" said Rusty Rigney, CEO of National Scouting Report. With his knowledge of college recruiting, his ability to evaluate talent and his passion to see the players succeed, he is the perfect fit for the NSR team.
"NSR has been helping athletes live their dream of playing college athletics for 40 years. They truly change the lives of the athletes they work with." I knew this was a group I wanted to be a part of going forward", said Coach Mike Smith.
Smith is excited about the future growth of NSR, "I am looking forward to building my team of scouts nationally. NSR has some great scouts out there working with players. I will be looking to add to these scouts with former coaches and players that share the same passion as we do." Smith said.
"Coach Smith will be busy from day one. Mike has recruiting seminars along with team and organizational workouts already set up", says Rigney. Mikes' time will be in high demand in the coming months. He will be at tournaments, combines and camps sharing his experience as a college coach and letting the athletes get a clear picture of how recruiting really works.

Coach Smith stated, "When I was coaching there was only one recruiting organization that I trusted and used, that was NSR. When it was time for my own son to go through the recruiting process in baseball, I knew we needed some help and I knew who to turn to for that guidance. I got with Robby Wilson, the local NSR scout, because I had seen his knowledge of the process and his passion for the athletes and knew that my family was in good hands."
"What an asset to our scouts and what an asset to the athletes that work with NSR. Mike will play a major role in educating the NSR athletes on how to navigate the once in a lifetime recruiting process." Says Robert Cagle, VP of Public Relations for NSR. "Our group is very strong, and we just got stronger."
Coach Smith, "I want to thank Rusty for this great opportunity and the position he has given me within NSR. I am truly honored to be part of the NSR brand, and I am looking forward to being an integral part of this established scouting organization which is a leader in finding prospective student-athletes and their families collegiate homes. I hope to bring a fresh prospective and approach, as well as be a major contributor to the growth of NSR and their mission to help match student-athletes and college coaches find the best fit for their futures and the collegiate programs. But it is more than that, NSR wants to make dreams come true! Nothing better than that! When each scout for NSR can personally evaluate, promote and educate the prospects and their families on the recruiting process, they will be better prepared to make that "special" and "important" decision for their future. This is why NSR has been so successful for 40-plus years."

Coach Mike Smith Bio: In May of 2014, Mike Smith was announced as the fifth head coach of the Ole Miss softball program. Since, the record books have been rewritten and the Rebels have reached heights never before seen both on and off the diamond.
The turnaround started immediately, with the Rebels tying the school wins record in Mike's inaugural season in Oxford before breaking it the next season and resetting it again the following year. Achieving a winning record just twice in the program's first 18 seasons, Ole Miss has done so in each of Mike's five campaigns, topping 30 wins each year with three 40+ win seasons. He has guided the Rebels to the program's only four NCAA Tournament appearances (2 hosted by Ole Miss in Oxford) advancing to the Super Regional round in 2017 and 2019.

In 2019, Mike earned his 900th career victory, accumulating 935 total wins by the end of his 21st year coaching collegiately. Ole Miss earned its highest national ranking in both Softball America (#12) and NFCA Coaches (#15) in 2019.

In the 21 years at the collegiate level, His stops included Biola University (CA), UC Riverside (CA), California Baptist University, McNeese State (LA) and Ole Miss. During his times at all these institutions he won a National Championship, has had multiple 60+, 50+ and 40+ win seasons, won 11 conference championships, 10 conference tournament championships, coached numerous National Player and Pitcher of the Year honorees, as well as numerous 1st Team All-Americans, one Team USA Softball member, honored with "Coach of the Year" 10 times, National "Coaching Staff of the Year" 3 times.
His coaching tree has many branches, as he has mentored over 20 players and coaches that have played and worked under him. Most all of those coaching in the collegiate ranks, many as Head Coach's at Division 1 institutions

Mike played/pitched in professional baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and a number of Professional Independent League Teams, reaching as high as Double A. He has won three professional league championships, was named "Pitcher of the Year" two times and was the MVP of a Championship Series.
Mike also coached baseball at the High School and the Collegiate level before starting his career in softball.

A San Diego, CA native that resides in Oxford, MS - Mike and his wife Ellen of 27 years, has two children, Ashlee (23) a graduate of Ole Miss and Tyler (20) a sophomore at Itawamba College (Fulton, MS). Ashlee works for FCA as the North East Mississippi Rep. and Tyler plays baseball at Itawamba.

National Scouting Report
128 Total Solutions Way
Alabaster, AL 35007
Email rwilson@nsr-inc.com

About National Scouting Report: Founded in 1980 NSR is the worlds oldest on-the-ground college scouting and recruiting organization. Our mission is to help qualified athletes get recruited across all levels by promoting them to colleges nationwide. NSR scouts consist of former collegiate and professional athletes, college coaches, and individuals that each share a passion for helping the student-athletes and their families navigate the recruiting process to find that true fit at the next level.

This release was published on openPR.