Football Gameday Feature - Special Connection (Bobby Pierce & Mark Smartt)

This story appeared in the Troy vs. Duke edition of Gameday; Troy's football game program

As head coach of the Troy University baseball team for the past 12 seasons, Bobby Pierce has taken the program to new heights at the Division I level. Four NCAA tournament appearances, three Sun Belt Conference championships and one Atlantic Sun Conference title speaks only partially to the level of success Pierce's teams have enjoyed.

In the dugout, he is eerily subdued, speaking only when necessary. It's enough to drive an error prone infielder to the brink of paranoia, but also draw the immediate attention of those he addresses. On Wednesday, August 13, he was no different as he stood at a podium in front of an auditorium full of television cameras, newspaper reporters, administrative personnel, family, friends as well as current and former players. Following a brief opening statement, Pierce told the audience of his decision to retire as Troy's baseball coach following the 2015 season. He spoke with a smile, no tears, but with full confidence.

"As bittersweet as this decision was for me to make due to my genuine love for coaching and the wonderful place in which I currently work, I am convinced that it is the right decision at the right time for me and my family," Pierce said. "I wanted to get this announcement out of the way so that the university, the athletic department and the baseball program could start moving forward with minimal distractions and continue to build on Troy baseball's tradition of success."

There is little doubt that Pierce has plenty to smile about. For 12 seasons, the 2010 Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee has done nothing more than produce conference contenders year in and year out. He will enter the 2015 season, his last, just 15 wins shy of breaking Chase Riddle's record of 434 career wins at Troy's head coach.

"Although I've known (Pierce) for 25 years, the opportunity to work side-by-side with him for the last 12 years have been extremely special to me. His record as a coach speaks for itself, but it does not begin to tell his story," Troy assistant coach Mark Smartt said. "He has the unique ability to bring out the best in everyone that is associated with him and he is held in high regard with anyone that comes in contact with him."

Not that Smartt's personality varies much, but as Pierce's assistant for the last 12 years, he has served as the more vocal member of the highly successful duo. Smartt has cardinal, silver and black coursing through his veins. As a player, he helped led the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships in 1986 and 1987. Smartt started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Troy. In 1990, he was hired as an assistant at the University of West Alabama and five years later was named the program's head coach. In his time in Livingston, Smartt's teams broke or tied 38 school records, produced two All-Americans, seven all-region and 10 All-Gulf South Conference selections.

Smartt was called home in 2002 when Pierce was hired at Troy and it is with the Trojans' baseball program that he belongs. Smartt was named Troy's next head coach at the same press conference that Pierce announced his retirement.

"I am extremely proud that I will eventually become the head coach at my alma mater," an emotional Smartt said at the press conference. "It's quite overwhelming, to be honest. To know that I'll be listed among the same names as Chase Riddle and Bobby Pierce is really hard for me to fathom."

Following the 2015 season, Smartt will become the 13th head coach in the program's history. It will soon be his turn to continue the winning tradition established by Riddle and Pierce. The decision to select Smartt was a natural one and backed by one simple fact – both men atop Troy's all-time wins list have offered Smartt a spot in the Trojans' dugout.

Troy University Athletics

Football Gameday Feature - Special Connection (Bobby Pierce & Mark Smartt)

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