Pages 1-92 - Creighton University Bluejays

2010 Bl u e j a y Ba s e b a l l
Associate Head Coach Rob Smith
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Rob
SMITH
Associate Head Coach
Indiana (1998)
Fourth Season
SMITH NOTES
• Associate Head Coach
Recruiting Coordinator/Pitching Coach
Creighton (2007-present)
• Pitching Coach,
Purdue University (2001-2006)
• Volunteer Assistant Coach,
Purdue University (1999)
PLAYING CAREER
• Vincennes University (1991-94)
Rob Smith will enter his fourth season at
Creighton, and first as associate head coach in
2010, where he works as pitching coach and
recruiting coordinator. In his first three seasons
with the Bluejays, he has coached three
All-Americans, one freshman All-American,
eight all-MVC selections, two MVC Newcomer
of the Year awards and had five players offered
professional contracts.
Smith’s pitching staff has finished in the
top-14 nationally in ERA in each of his first
three seasons at CU, including a 13th place
finish to close the 2009 season. Only North
Carolina and Virginia have been in the top-14
in each of the last three seasons. The group
has combined for a 3.82 ERA since he joined
the Creighton staff, which ranks 7th-best nationally.
Last season Creighton was as high as seventh
in the country in ERA entering May after
a three-game sweep at Illinois State. Smith
also tutored freshman Brandon Koenigstein
who threw just the fourth no-hitter in Creighton
history, and the first complete-game nono
since 1971. The Creighton staff led the
league in ERA, Hits allowed per nine innings
and walks allowed per nine innings.
The Bluejay pitchers have also showed endurance
as reliever Jack VanLeur finished the
season ninth in the NCAA in appearances with
36, while Bob Lackovic was tied for 13th with
34.
In 2008, Creighton finished 14th in the nation
in ERA for the second consecutive year.
The staff, led by All-American and 20th round
draft pick Pat Venditte, also finished 16th in
the nation for walks allowed per nine innings
and 30th in the nation in hits allowed per nine
innings. Both marks were good for second in
the Missouri Valley Conference. The team also
finished third in the league in strikeouts.
Individually the Bluejays boasted the best
pitcher in the MVC in terms of ERA as junior
Mike Nihsen led the league in 2008 with a
2.30 mark in 70.1 innings.
In 2007 the staff picked up 21 saves in
relief to set a new school record. Relievers Pat
Venditte and Andy Masten, and starter Ben
Mancuso both earned All-America honors following
the season after posting 1.88 and 2.34
ERAs, respectively. The country’s only known
switch-pitcher, Venditte recorded a stretch of
43.2 scoreless innings, was named the MVP
of the MVC Tournament, and set a school record
for lowest ERA in a season. Mancuso had
a team-best 10 victories in 2007 and he recorded
seven scoreless outings in 13 appearances.
Smith also instructed freshman right-hander
Casey Schmidt, who finished 6-1 and earned
Freshman All-American accolades. Friday
starter Marc Lewis was selected in the 20th
round of the Major League draft after finishing
with an 8-3 record. Lewis was joined by
Venditte, Mancuso, and reliever Andy Masten
to give Creighton four pitchers on the All-MVC
first team. Masten was named the league’s
Newcomer of the Year after finishing with 16
saves to tie for second-most in the country.
His 16 saves also set Creighton’s school record
and ranked third-most in MVC history for
a season.
Smith came to Creighton after a five-year
stint at Purdue University. Smith arrived at
Purdue in the fall of 2001 and spent five seasons
training the Boilermaker pitching staff.
In his last season in West Lafayette, Purdue
had its most wins since 2001 (31) and three
pitchers were named all-conference. Three
members of his pitching staff were drafted,
tying a school-record. In 2002, Purdue hurler
Chadd Blasko was picked in the supplemental
first round, 36th overall, making him Purdue’s
highest draftee since 1993.
Purdue’s staff ERA dropped by more than
1.7 runs per game in Smith’s five seasons, going
from 5.95 in 2002 all the way down to
4.23 in 2006. The 2006 team ERA was Purdue’s
fourth-best staff mark since the introduction
of aluminum bats in 1974. Purdue’s
2005 league ERA of 3.29 was more than one
full run better than any other staff in the Big
Ten.
Under his guidance, the 2005 and 2006
Boilermaker staffs each had strikeout to walk
ratios of 2-to-1 or better for just the third and
fourth times since 1974. Prior to working at
Purdue, Smith spent two seasons as manager
and general manager of the Wisconsin Woodchucks
of the Northwoods League. In 2001 he
guided the team to its first league championship,
while also setting a franchise record with
37 wins. His teams also set club records for
ERA both seasons.
Smith played college ball at Vincennes University
from 1991-94 and earned his college
degree at Indiana University in 1998. Smith
also served as a volunteer assistant coach at
Purdue in 1999, where he worked with pitchers,
catchers and recruiting.
He and his wife, RaeAnna, have three
daughters (Sierra, Serena, Isabelle) and one
son (Tyson).
[14] 2010 Cr e i g h t o n Ba s e b a l l