Softball
Smith, Tony
Tony Smith
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Tony Smith joined the Northwestern staff before the 2023 season as a Volunteer Assistant. In the Fall of 2023, he was promoted to Assistant Coach following the staff's recognition as the 2023 ATEC/NFCA Division I Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
Since Smith’s arrival in 2023, Northwestern has earned berths to three straight NCAA tournaments and captured two Big Ten regular season titles, as well as a Big Ten tournament title.
Most recently in 2025, the Wildcats finished with a 29-17-1 record and a 16-6 record in conference play, leading to a seventh-straight NCAA tournament berth. Northwestern earned four wins over RPI Top 25 teams, defeating No. 11 Duke, No. 22 Mississippi State, and No. 6 UCLA twice, in the final series of the regular season.
In 2024, with a lineup that replaced six of its nine defensive starters from the previous year, the Wildcats finished with a 35-13 record and a 19-3 record in conference play en route to a third-straight Big Ten regular season title and sixth-consecutive berth to the NCAA Tournament.
In 2023, the Wildcats posted a 42-13 record and captured both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, before reaching the NCAA Super Regional round for the seventh time since 2005.
Smith enjoyed a long career in baseball before joining the Northwestern softball staff. He pitched four seasons in Independent League Baseball before spending four years as Director of Pitching, Arm Care, and Overhand Throwing at Athletes HQ. Smith spent two years as a Player Development coach for the Erie Seawolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, assisting in the development of current Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, and center fielder Riley Greene, fifth overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft. He also served as the pitching coach for the Schaumburg Boomers (2017-2019), helping them to a 2017 Frontier League Championship with the lowest team ERA in the league.
Since Smith’s arrival in 2023, Northwestern has earned berths to three straight NCAA tournaments and captured two Big Ten regular season titles, as well as a Big Ten tournament title.
Most recently in 2025, the Wildcats finished with a 29-17-1 record and a 16-6 record in conference play, leading to a seventh-straight NCAA tournament berth. Northwestern earned four wins over RPI Top 25 teams, defeating No. 11 Duke, No. 22 Mississippi State, and No. 6 UCLA twice, in the final series of the regular season.
In 2024, with a lineup that replaced six of its nine defensive starters from the previous year, the Wildcats finished with a 35-13 record and a 19-3 record in conference play en route to a third-straight Big Ten regular season title and sixth-consecutive berth to the NCAA Tournament.
In 2023, the Wildcats posted a 42-13 record and captured both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, before reaching the NCAA Super Regional round for the seventh time since 2005.
Smith enjoyed a long career in baseball before joining the Northwestern softball staff. He pitched four seasons in Independent League Baseball before spending four years as Director of Pitching, Arm Care, and Overhand Throwing at Athletes HQ. Smith spent two years as a Player Development coach for the Erie Seawolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, assisting in the development of current Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, and center fielder Riley Greene, fifth overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft. He also served as the pitching coach for the Schaumburg Boomers (2017-2019), helping them to a 2017 Frontier League Championship with the lowest team ERA in the league.
Softball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
Friday, May 16
Softball - 'Cats Storm Back, Secure Series Victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/4/25)
Sunday, May 04
Softball - 'Cats Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win at No. 8 UCLA (5/2/25)
Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27
