Riverside—The UC Riverside Baseball Team is celebrating the career of former head coach, assistant coach and student-athlete Doug Smith on this evening, Friday, April 1, prior to first pitch of the team's 6 pm game against UC Davis.

As part of the event, the Highlanders are retiring his jersey number 12, and adding his name and jersey number to the Wall of Honor out in right field. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive a free commemorative Doug Smith baseball card.

Smith graduated from UC Riverside in 1975 with bachelor's degrees in sociology and political science. An outstanding catcher, his senior year was highlighted by his performance in the Riverside Baseball Invitational Tournament, where he helped lead the Highlanders to their first-ever title, and was the leading hitter at .471. Following the season he was named All-CCAA First Team.

Smith served as a part-time assistant coach from 1976 through 1980 while he pursued a master's degree in physical education from Cal Poly Pomona. The 1977 squad won the Highlanders first of two NCAA Division II National Championships. After taking three years off to venture into private business, Smith returned to the Highlanders in 1983 and remained a fixture in the UC Riverside dugout for the next 31 years.

He was appointed as the fourth head baseball coach in UC Riverside history in September 2004, and after 10 seasons at the helm of the Highlanders, Smith retired on June 3, 2014 with an overall record of 272-264 including a 117-117 mark in Big West competition. That includes UC Riverside's first Big West Conference Baseball Championship in 2007 and a trip to the NCAA Regionals that same year. After the season, with a program-best conference record of 16-5 in tow, Smith was named Big West Coach of the Year.

In a collegiate career spanning nearly 2,000 games, Smith has helped the Highlanders to 10 postseason appearances, including one Division II National Championship, one Big West Conference Title, and two NCAA Division I West Regional appearances.

In his career, Smith has coached over 200 all-conference selections and 34 All-America selections. During that time, nearly 150 of his players have been signed to professional contracts, and 15 made it to the big league,s including current UC Riverside Head Coach, and Los Angeles Angels World Series closer, Troy Percival.