Lehigh University Athletics
A Perfect Recipe for Success
6/2/2020 2:02:00 PM | Softball, Student Athlete, Features, Flight 45, Intellectual Development
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Mary-Hannah Smith is a competitor. That competitiveness, coupled with the support system within Lehigh Athletics, has proven to be the perfect recipe for success.
Smith didn't take a typical road to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. But after four years, she'll be staying in the Lehigh Valley after accepting a job with Air Products.
"When I first came to Lehigh, if you were to ask me if I'd work in Allentown, I would have said no," said Smith. "I believe my four years at Lehigh opened a lot of different opportunities and opened up my thinking that I don't have to go straight home. Having a community at Lehigh helped make the decision to work in Pennsylvania an easy one."
Lehigh has become a home away from home. Smith's true home is Mobile, Alabama, but how did she end up in Pennsylvania?
It all came down to recruiting.
Smith played plenty of sports growing up, including softball. She had a great experience on her local travel ball team, but the team didn't receive many college looks.
"In softball, certain teams get recruited a lot more easily through connections," said Smith. "My team was competitive, but it wasn't recruited as much. Late in the process, I made a decision to move to New Jersey Intensity. I would fly out to the tournaments and play with the team, but barely practiced with them."
In Smith's junior year of high school, she was still trying to get on coaches' radars.
"Being late in the process, I knew I needed to look at high academic schools," she said. "Coach (Fran) Troyan was actually at one of my very first games with New Jersey Intensity. He watched me play and told my coach that my ACT score needed to come up, then they (Lehigh) would have another look at me."
Smith did just that, which led her to a Lehigh camp.
"After the camp was over, I basically begged Coach Troyan to let me come to Lehigh because I really didn't have any other choices," said Smith. "I really wanted to play at a Division I school and attend such a good school like Lehigh."
It didn't take much begging as Troyan saw potential in Smith.
"There is obviously an objective part to recruiting; how does a prospect run, throw, swing and field? But there is also an intuitive part," he said. "I saw in Mary-Hannah an incredible spirit, a desire to compete and a high character 'yes sir' young lady who was incredibly special beyond any measurables. There were other more talented prospects, but my heart told to go with Mary-Hannah."
Troyan is sure glad he followed his heart and from the very beginning, the decision paid off. As a freshman, Smith was a second team All-Patriot League honoree and helped the Mountain Hawks to the league championship – even being named to the All-Tournament team.
For all the success Smith had as a freshman, it certainly wasn't easy.
"The fall of my freshman year was not one of my favorite semesters, just trying to adjust to college life, the academics and softball," she said. "The spring is when I relaxed, felt acclimated to the college experience and really loved Lehigh. I was able to lean on my teammates as family and not feel so alone. My teammates did a wonderful job in the fall of welcoming me, but it was challenging because there were so many different demands and new things going on."
Now that Smith was acclimated to life at Lehigh, there was something else holding her back on the softball field.
"Coach will tell you I'm hard-headed," she said. "As a freshman, he would try to fix things and I would say 'if it's not broke, don't fix it.' I had to change that attitude and open my mind to see that my way works, but maybe there's a better way."
Smith's openness to feedback was something she developed over her four years, helping her improve from the already high standard she had in place. As a sophomore, Smith was named second team All-League again then garnered first team All-League as a junior when her batting average increased for a third straight season (hitting .368).
Smith's talent has always been clear, but Lehigh has helped get the most out of her abilities.
"I believe I've developed as a person and teammate, being more selfless and putting the team first," said Smith. "During my freshman year, if I didn't hit well, I'd get down on myself. I would bring the team down, so I had to work through that for my four years."
Over Smith's career, she has also experienced tremendous growth off the field.
Entering Lehigh, Smith was enrolled in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
"For the first year and a half, I struggled and realized it wasn't for me," she said. "My mom always told me if you don't love it, you need to figure out something that you love. I can remember vividly, I had four exams in one week and didn't do very well on any of them. Finally, I decided to go to Coach's office and ask for advice.
"I talked to Coach, (Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services) Katie Guynn and other academic resources," said Smith. "I eventually decided I should get into business, which led to supply chain management. It's similar to industrial engineering, but more on the business side of things."
Like she's found a home at Lehigh, Smith has found a home with her new major. She's doing something she loves, just like on the softball field. Unfortunately for her, and the entire country, that was taken away on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, the Mountain Hawks were on their Spring Break trip in Arizona.
"It felt like the world was ending," said Smith. "We were thinking we'd still have softball. Then, things kept happening and snowballing. We got the email that campus was closing and the Patriot League was cancelling the spring seasons.
"It's sad because I didn't want my career to end like this and I'm sure nobody did. But not having a softball season versus the lives being lost are two totally different worlds. I feel fortunate to be alive."
Smith feels fortunate for her Lehigh student-athlete experience as well, even if it was cut a little short. What she's learned as a student and athlete have been similar; the two have played off each other, and made her stronger.
"Mary-Hannah grew a significant amount as a softball student-athlete," said Troyan. "When she arrived on campus, she had experienced great high school success. She honestly was a little resistant to coaching because she was afraid change would not equal success. She finally bought into trusting the coaching staff and realized a player and person could always become better."
"There were times I would think how I'd ever graduate," said Smith. "It felt at times like I couldn't get through this. I believe softball was the biggest factor that helped me because I knew I wanted to play. To be able to play, I needed to figure out how to get through it academically.
"Toughness and grit were definitely there."
Attributes like toughness and grit Smith displayed at Lehigh will help her moving forward into her supply chain position at Air Products.
"I'll be in a rotational program to begin with," she said. "After the two-year program, it will roll into a more permanent position. I'm really excited about that because I don't know exactly what I want to do. I'll be able to get a small taste of different aspects before choosing."
No matter what she chooses, Smith does have some long-term aspirations in mind.
"I want to be the person who works hard and brings all the attributes softball has taught me into the business world," she said.
One of those attributes is coachability.
"Mary-Hannah will take incredible self-confidence with her post-graduation, but she now also knows how to adapt," Troyan continued. "Mary-Hannah's future, in part because of her experience as a Lehigh student-athlete, could not be any brighter."
That adaptability Smith learned at Lehigh should translate to a business setting.
"It's important to know that at the end of the day, it's not all about me," she said. "The business world is going to operate a lot like a softball team in terms of a coach (or manager) with people under them who are leaders of the team. I've learned how to work as a team, how to build others up and work together for a common goal."
Having an open mind towards all her teammates, not just superiors (rank or age), is also critical to team success.
"In our shortened season, I wasn't hitting as well as I wanted and a freshman reminded me to smile," said Smith.
Smith did just that. And although her Lehigh academic and athletic career is now over, that smile is staying in the Lehigh Valley.
The Lehigh Valley is a better place because of it.
Mary-Hannah Smith is a competitor. That competitiveness, coupled with the support system within Lehigh Athletics, has proven to be the perfect recipe for success.
Smith didn't take a typical road to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. But after four years, she'll be staying in the Lehigh Valley after accepting a job with Air Products.
"When I first came to Lehigh, if you were to ask me if I'd work in Allentown, I would have said no," said Smith. "I believe my four years at Lehigh opened a lot of different opportunities and opened up my thinking that I don't have to go straight home. Having a community at Lehigh helped make the decision to work in Pennsylvania an easy one."
Lehigh has become a home away from home. Smith's true home is Mobile, Alabama, but how did she end up in Pennsylvania?
It all came down to recruiting.
Smith played plenty of sports growing up, including softball. She had a great experience on her local travel ball team, but the team didn't receive many college looks.
"In softball, certain teams get recruited a lot more easily through connections," said Smith. "My team was competitive, but it wasn't recruited as much. Late in the process, I made a decision to move to New Jersey Intensity. I would fly out to the tournaments and play with the team, but barely practiced with them."
In Smith's junior year of high school, she was still trying to get on coaches' radars.
"Being late in the process, I knew I needed to look at high academic schools," she said. "Coach (Fran) Troyan was actually at one of my very first games with New Jersey Intensity. He watched me play and told my coach that my ACT score needed to come up, then they (Lehigh) would have another look at me."
Smith did just that, which led her to a Lehigh camp.
"After the camp was over, I basically begged Coach Troyan to let me come to Lehigh because I really didn't have any other choices," said Smith. "I really wanted to play at a Division I school and attend such a good school like Lehigh."
It didn't take much begging as Troyan saw potential in Smith.
"There is obviously an objective part to recruiting; how does a prospect run, throw, swing and field? But there is also an intuitive part," he said. "I saw in Mary-Hannah an incredible spirit, a desire to compete and a high character 'yes sir' young lady who was incredibly special beyond any measurables. There were other more talented prospects, but my heart told to go with Mary-Hannah."
Troyan is sure glad he followed his heart and from the very beginning, the decision paid off. As a freshman, Smith was a second team All-Patriot League honoree and helped the Mountain Hawks to the league championship – even being named to the All-Tournament team.
For all the success Smith had as a freshman, it certainly wasn't easy.
"The fall of my freshman year was not one of my favorite semesters, just trying to adjust to college life, the academics and softball," she said. "The spring is when I relaxed, felt acclimated to the college experience and really loved Lehigh. I was able to lean on my teammates as family and not feel so alone. My teammates did a wonderful job in the fall of welcoming me, but it was challenging because there were so many different demands and new things going on."
Now that Smith was acclimated to life at Lehigh, there was something else holding her back on the softball field.
"Coach will tell you I'm hard-headed," she said. "As a freshman, he would try to fix things and I would say 'if it's not broke, don't fix it.' I had to change that attitude and open my mind to see that my way works, but maybe there's a better way."
Smith's openness to feedback was something she developed over her four years, helping her improve from the already high standard she had in place. As a sophomore, Smith was named second team All-League again then garnered first team All-League as a junior when her batting average increased for a third straight season (hitting .368).
GONE! See ya! Mary-Hannah Smith drives one out to left for a three-run homer. Her third of the year puts Lehigh up 6-2 in the fourth.
— Lehigh Softball (@Lehighsoftball) May 9, 2019
Watch @PatriotLeagueTV: https://t.co/jXFao7I7UQ pic.twitter.com/fnQ5qgFeWP
Smith's talent has always been clear, but Lehigh has helped get the most out of her abilities.
"I believe I've developed as a person and teammate, being more selfless and putting the team first," said Smith. "During my freshman year, if I didn't hit well, I'd get down on myself. I would bring the team down, so I had to work through that for my four years."
Over Smith's career, she has also experienced tremendous growth off the field.
Entering Lehigh, Smith was enrolled in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
"For the first year and a half, I struggled and realized it wasn't for me," she said. "My mom always told me if you don't love it, you need to figure out something that you love. I can remember vividly, I had four exams in one week and didn't do very well on any of them. Finally, I decided to go to Coach's office and ask for advice.
"I talked to Coach, (Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services) Katie Guynn and other academic resources," said Smith. "I eventually decided I should get into business, which led to supply chain management. It's similar to industrial engineering, but more on the business side of things."
Like she's found a home at Lehigh, Smith has found a home with her new major. She's doing something she loves, just like on the softball field. Unfortunately for her, and the entire country, that was taken away on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, the Mountain Hawks were on their Spring Break trip in Arizona.
"It felt like the world was ending," said Smith. "We were thinking we'd still have softball. Then, things kept happening and snowballing. We got the email that campus was closing and the Patriot League was cancelling the spring seasons.
"It's sad because I didn't want my career to end like this and I'm sure nobody did. But not having a softball season versus the lives being lost are two totally different worlds. I feel fortunate to be alive."
Smith feels fortunate for her Lehigh student-athlete experience as well, even if it was cut a little short. What she's learned as a student and athlete have been similar; the two have played off each other, and made her stronger.
"Mary-Hannah grew a significant amount as a softball student-athlete," said Troyan. "When she arrived on campus, she had experienced great high school success. She honestly was a little resistant to coaching because she was afraid change would not equal success. She finally bought into trusting the coaching staff and realized a player and person could always become better."
"There were times I would think how I'd ever graduate," said Smith. "It felt at times like I couldn't get through this. I believe softball was the biggest factor that helped me because I knew I wanted to play. To be able to play, I needed to figure out how to get through it academically.
"Toughness and grit were definitely there."
Attributes like toughness and grit Smith displayed at Lehigh will help her moving forward into her supply chain position at Air Products.
"I'll be in a rotational program to begin with," she said. "After the two-year program, it will roll into a more permanent position. I'm really excited about that because I don't know exactly what I want to do. I'll be able to get a small taste of different aspects before choosing."
No matter what she chooses, Smith does have some long-term aspirations in mind.
"I want to be the person who works hard and brings all the attributes softball has taught me into the business world," she said.
One of those attributes is coachability.
"Mary-Hannah will take incredible self-confidence with her post-graduation, but she now also knows how to adapt," Troyan continued. "Mary-Hannah's future, in part because of her experience as a Lehigh student-athlete, could not be any brighter."
That adaptability Smith learned at Lehigh should translate to a business setting.
"It's important to know that at the end of the day, it's not all about me," she said. "The business world is going to operate a lot like a softball team in terms of a coach (or manager) with people under them who are leaders of the team. I've learned how to work as a team, how to build others up and work together for a common goal."
Having an open mind towards all her teammates, not just superiors (rank or age), is also critical to team success.
"In our shortened season, I wasn't hitting as well as I wanted and a freshman reminded me to smile," said Smith.
Smith did just that. And although her Lehigh academic and athletic career is now over, that smile is staying in the Lehigh Valley.
The Lehigh Valley is a better place because of it.
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