Baylor head coach Steve Smith is one of seven finalists for Collegiate Baseball’s National Coach of the Year award.
Smith, who led his team to a 49-17 overall record, and 20-4 in the Big 12, this season and the Big 12 regular-season championship, was the conference’s 2012 Coach of the Year. He is one of only two finalists who did not have a team in this year’s College World Series.
The Baylor head coach just finished his 18th season at the school. The Bears have appeared in 13 of the last 15 NCAA Baseball Tournaments.
The other finalists are Andy Lopez of College World Series champion Arizona, Mike Martin of Florida State, Doug Schreiber of Purdue, Scott Stricklin of Kent State, Stony Brook’s Matt Senk and Ray Tanner of South Carolina.
The winner of this year’s award will be announced Thursday.