After a four-year career as a starter and a year as a volunteer coach, Taylor Smartt will join the staff of the Troy University Softball program as a full-time assistant coach for the 2016 season.

Smartt, a graduate of both Charles Henderson High School and Troy University, was named to the position on Tuesday.

“I am very thankful for the opportunity to coach for my alma mater and to join a phenomenal coaching staff under Coach Mullins,” Smartt said. “I am excited about moving forward and can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Trojans.”

As the volunteer assistant, Smartt was in charge of the offense and worked with the Trojan players on their hitting. During 2015, the Troy offense set a program record with 51 homeruns. Also under Smartt, the Trojans doubled their output of doubles to 72 on the season.

She was part of a coaching staff that led the team to 32 wins in 2015, after winning only 22 in 2014.

“I am very excited to name Taylor Smartt as an assistant coach here at Troy University,” said head coach Beth Mullins.

“Taylor was instrumental in our success last year as a volunteer assistant and I know with her knowledge of the game, work ethic, and recruiting ability, she will help this program reach new heights”

Smartt has had a lot of experience with the Trojan program.

She started 191 games during her four-year stint at Troy, and she was a member of the NFCA All-Region Team as well as being named a NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.

“I poured my heart and soul into this program when I played there,” Smartt said. “To coach at your Alma Mater is a pretty awesome feeling.”

Smartt plans to bring her passion as well as her experience to the position and will set an example for the players in the program.

“I will bring a lot of energy to the game. I know the game like I know the back of my hand,” Smartt said. “I feel like I have grown up around it my whole life. I want to develop our infielders and bring down the errors. I want our hitting stats to continue to go up so we can be at the top of the Sun Belt Conference. I am energetic and I feel like our players feed off that. I want to keep energy in this program.”

Taylor joins the Troy coaching ranks with her father, head baseball coach Mark Smartt. Her brother, Chase, is a freshman signee with Troy baseball program.

“To know that I can watch my brother play, where I played, my dad played, and where my mom went to school is very special,” Smartt said. “ Troy is very special to me and my family, I am very thankful that I get the opportunity to stay close. I am very excited.”