Texas Tech Baseball Hires Two Assistant Coaches
August 13, 1999 | Baseball
Aug. 13, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech head baseball coach Larry Hays announced the hiring of two new assistant baseball coaches- Daren Hays and Britt Smith.
Hays and Smith replace former Texas Tech baseball assistants Frank Anderson and Marty Lamb. Anderson accepted a job as the University of Texas pitching coach in July while Lamb moved to Lexington, Ky. as a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers last January. Veteran assistant coach Greg Evans moves up to the first assistant position and will continue to coach the infielders. Daren Hays will instruct hitting and the outfield and Smith will handle the pitching as a volunteer assistant.
"With Frank leaving we felt that it was important to keep continuity in the program," Texas Tech head baseball coach Larry Hays said. "These two guys know our system and what we want to do. Daren played for me, coached with me at Texas Tech and has head coaching experience. Britt has coached with three of my ex-assistant coaches, has worked at our summer camps and our older pitchers recommended him highly. Considering all those things and the toughness of the Big 12, we felt that stability and continuity were the two most important things."
Daren Hays rejoins the Texas Tech coaching staff after serving as hitting instructor during the 1991 season in which he helped the Red Raiders lead the Southwest Conference in batting average. For the following eight seasons, Hays served as Lubbock Christian University's head coach. He amassed a 356-163 overall record and reached 300 career victories faster than any other LCU head coach. Last year Hays led LCU to a 47-17 overall record and was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. He led the Chaparrals to six 40+ win seasons and two 50+ win seasons during his eight-year tenure.
Britt Smith arrives at Texas Tech after serving the 1999 season as Daren Hays' pitching coach at LCU. Prior to his stint at LCU, Smith played and coached at West Texas A&M for five years. A native of Fort Worth who attended Arlington Heights High School, Smith earned a Master's Degree from West Texas A&M in 1998 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1997. Smith has assisted three other coaches who have coached with Tech head coach Larry Hays- Jimmy Shankle, Todd Howey and Daren Hays.
Texas Tech hosted its third NCAA Regional in the past four seasons during the 1999 season. The Red Raiders finished 42-17.
NEW TEXAS TECH ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACHES BIOS
DAREN HAYS
Assistant Baseball Coach/Lubbock Christian '89
Daren Hays returns to the Texas Tech baseball program as an assistant baseball coach in 1999. Hays will work directly with the Red Raider outfielders and batters as their hitting coach. Hays spent the 1991 season as an assistant baseball coach at Texas Tech where he specialized in hitting. He helped lead the Red Raiders to a 42-18 record in 1991 as Texas Tech led the Southwest Conference with a .303 team batting average.
Hays spent the following eight seasons as head baseball coach at cross-town Lubbock Christian University where he amassed a 356-163 overall record. He became the first coach in LCU history to win 300 games in only seven seasons. Last season, Hays was named the Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading Lubbock Christian to a 47-17 record and 16th national NAIA ranking. He won 40+ games in six of his eight seasons at LCU and won 50+ games two seasons, leading the Chaparrals to a 52-16 record in 1995 and 52-18 record in 1998. Hays received NAIA District VIII Coach of the Year honors in 1993 after leading his Chaparral hitters led the nation in batting average. During his tenure at LCU, 14 of his players were selected as NAIA All Americans, four were named GTE/CoSIDa Academic All Americans while 20 of his players were named to the All Sooner Athletic Conference team in its five years of existence. In 1998, LCU player Keith Hart was named the NAIA National Player of the Year.
After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from Lubbock Christian in 1989, Hays played professionally for two years in Texas Rangers organization. He played his rookie league season at Butte, Montana after being drafted in 1989. He ranked ninth in the league with a .316 batting average and ranked second in both RBI (51) and doubles (17). The following season, he hit .240 with three home runs and 40 RBI for the Class A Port Charlotte, Fla. Florida State League team.
Hays was a four-year letterman at LCU, playing three years with his father, Larry and his senior year with coach Jimmy Shankle. An outfielder/third baseman, Hays earned NAIA All District honors as a junior outfielder and senior designated hitter. He was honored as the NAIA national "Player of the Week" during his senior season after the Chaps played a series in Austin, Texas. Hays also attended Lubbock Christian High School where he was an All State linebacker, basketball player and track and field athlete.
Hays is married to the former Kristi McGee of Lubbock. The couple resides and Lubbock and have two daughters, Brittany and Brogan.
Daren Hays at Lubbock Christian University Year W-L Pct. 1992 45-21 .682 1993 33-32 .508 1994 40-24 .625 1995 52-16 .765 1996 39-19 .672 1997 48-16 .750 1998 52-18 .743 1999 47-17 .734 Totals 356-163 .686
BRITT SMITH
Volunteer Assistant Baseball Coach/West Texas A&M '97
Britt Smith begins his first year with the Texas Tech baseball program as its volunteer assistant coach. Smith will spend most of his time with the Texas Tech pitching staff.
Smith comes to Texas Tech after serving one season as Texas Tech assistant coach Daren Hays' pitching coach at Lubbock Christian University. In 1998, Smith's LCU staff turned in a 5.42 earned run average as he helped the Chaparals to a 47-17 overall record and No. 16 ranking in NAIA. LCU senior Paco Escamilla was selected an honorable mention NAIA All American.
Prior to his one-year stint at Lubbock Christian, Smith played and coached at West Texas A&M over the past five seasons. He played all nine positions during his playing days with the Buffaloes. An all-conference outfielder in 1996 at West Texas A&M, Smith holds both the school and Lone Star Conference game records for hits (6) and walks (5).
Smith has assisted three other coaches who have assisted Texas Tech head coach Larry Hays in the past- Jimmy Shankle (former LCU head coach), Todd Howey (Tech grad and current West Texas A&M head coach) and Daren Hays (former LCU head coach/current Texas Tech assistant).
A native of Forth Worth who attended Arlington Heights High School, Smith earned a Master's Degree from West Texas A&M in 1998. He graduated from West Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Smith is employed at Rip Griffin Supermarkets in Lubbock. He and his wife Wendy reside in Lubbock. The couple was married in July.
--TTU--