Smith named NJCAA All-American
PERKINSTON — If you drove past Ken "Curly" Farris Field or strolled past the indoor batting facility during non-practice times the past two years and there was one baseball player there, the odds are it was Sean Smith.
The sophomore's dedication to excel propelled him to be Mississippi Gulf Coast's first NJCAA All-American since 2019. He was named to the Third Team on Monday.
"It means a lot," Smith said. "I've put a lot of work it and it's nice to know that work doesn't go unnoticed. My dad instilled that in me real early. I've had it my whole life."
The outfielder from Pascagoula is the school's 26th All-American. He's the first since Brandon Parker was named to the First Team in 2018 and 2019.
Smith was named to the All-MACCC team for the second time this year, and he earned a spot on the All-NJCAA Region 23 team this year.
He led Gulf Coast in hitting (.392) and hits (62). He was second in the MACCC with 15 home runs and was named to the All-MACCC and All-NJCAA Region 23 teams.
"It's Sean's work ethic and his integrity off and on the field that got him to this point," Gulf Coast coach Bob Keller said. "He understands the difference between wanting to play baseball and being a baseball player. He knows everything that goes into that. Sean's commitment is unparalleled. His work ethic and drive set him apart. This is a great day for the program and I'm super happy for Sean."
Smith has signed with Georgia Southern, but he could be a selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. It will be held July 9-11.
He's playing in Pennsylvania for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League, taking lessons learned from Gulf Coast and applying to them to the Next Level.
"It helped me a lot," Smith said. "I'm really glad Coach Keller got there when I got there. Coach Keller knows a lot and I really appreciate everything he did for me."
For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.
