• 2023 NJCAA National Championship
• Four FCSAA state championships (1997, 1998, 2022, 2023)
• Four-time FCSAA Coach of the Year
• Eight-time Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year
• NJCAA Hall of Fame - 2019

Marty Smith enters his 32nd season as the head coach for the Patriots and his third year as the Manager of Athletics for the College of Central Florida. For over three decades, Marty Smith has been the leader of one of the premier programs in junior college baseball. Smith has built a legacy defined by elite player development, and a relentless pursuit of success. 

In early 2026, Coach Smith cemented his name among the all-time collegiate greats by securing his 1,000th career victory as a head coach. This landmark achievement reflects a career built on consistency, adaptability and an enduring commitment to excellence on the diamond and off the field.

Smith led the Patriots to the 2023 NJCAA Division 1 National Championship with a school record 56-7 mark in 2023, with the Pats shattering many records including wins and home runs in a season (119). Smith led the program to its second consecutive Mid-Florida Conference Championship and second consecutive FCSAA State and South-Atlantic District Championship.

Smith's 2023 squad garnered four 1st Team All-State selections and Two 2nd Team All-State selections. The 2023 Patriot team produced One 1st Team All-American (John Marant), One 2nd Team All-American selection (Edwin Toribio) and one Honorable Mention All-American (Cam Schuelke). The 2023 Patriot National Championship Team saw all 10 graduating Patriots move on to NCAA Division 1 schools to continue playing. Bradke Lohry (Tennessee), Cam Schuelke (Mississippi State), John Marant (Georgia), JD Smith (Georgia Tech), Carson Bayne (UNC-Charlotte), Thad Ector (UNC-Charlotte), Juan Correa (UNC-Charlotte), Brian Holiday (Oklahoma State), Andrew Herrmann (Louisianna Lafayette), and Keller Eberly (Texas State).

In 2017, Smith had the highest draft pick come out of his program to-date in RHP Nate Pearson, who was selected 28th overall (Rd. 1) by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2017 MLB Draft. Pearson, Rawlings JUCO National Pitcher of the Year, and a Golden Spikes Award finalist, was the second highest JUCO player drafted in 2017. Nate has played in the MLB for the Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs and currently is on the Houston Astros for the 2026 season.

A Jacksonville native, Smith has been a fixture of Florida baseball since his high school playing days at Terry Parker High School. He joined the Patriots in 1984, playing two seasons under coach Dr. Roger "Marty" Martinsen and earning All-Mid-Florida Conference honors as a sophomore, then completed his playing career at St. Thomas University in Miami, where he played for ABCA and NCAA Hall of Fame skipper Paul Mainieri. Smith launched his coaching career immediately after college, joining the staff of NJCAA Hall of Fame coach Demie Mainieri at Miami Dade College. There he helped lead a squad led by future Major League Baseball star Mike Piazza to an FCSAA State Tournament berth. He followed a two-year stint at Miami Dade with a season at FSC-Jacksonville, where he assisted Howard Roey, another NJCAA Hall of Famer, in guiding the Stars to the 1990 FCCAA championship.

Smith returned to his alma mater in 1991 as an assistant to Dr. Martinsen, and ultimately succeeded his retiring mentor as Patriots head coach in 1994. Three years into his tenure, Smith won the first of two consecutive FCSAA state championships, taking the Patriots to the Juco World Series in 1997 and 1998. In addition, Smith's teams have won eight MFC championships (1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2019, 2022, 2023) and finished as state runner-up on three occasions (2004, 2007, and 2025).

Over the years, Smith has moved-on hundreds of players to the Div. I, II, III and NAIA levels. He has also had many players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft over the course of his career. Since 2007 over 50 of his players have gone on to play in professional baseball. His impact on players goes well beyond the diamond as he has held his teams to high standards both in the classroom and community as well.

Smith's impact has not only been on his players, but also his assistant coaches. Smith currently has nine former assistant coaches or players coaching in professional baseball:  Zach Bove (Pitching Coach – Chicago Whte Sox - MLB), Chris Smith (Hitting Coach - Guardians), Ryan Smith (Hitting Coach – Twins), Ian Forster (Hitting Coach – Guardians), Collin McBride (Hitting Coach – Orioles), Collin Woody (Manager – Orioles), Jason Rose (Hitting Coach – Guardians), JC Sanner (Pitching Coach - White Sox), Pablo Arevalo (Pitching Coach - Cubs).

Smith has collected numerous accolades in the process: Gulf District/South-Atlantic NJCAA Division I Baseball Coach of the Year (1997, 1998, 2022, 2023); Louisville Slugger/ABCA NJCAA Region VIII Coach of the Year (1997, 1998, 2022, 2023); Diamond ABCA Regional Coach of the Year (1997, 1998, 2022, 2023); FCSAA State Coach of the Year (1997, 1998, 2022, 2023); Junior College Coach of the Year by the Florida Diamond Club (1997, 2022); and Mid-Florida Coach of the Year (1996, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2029, 2022, and 2023). In 2004, Smith served as head coach of the NJCAA's All-Star entry in the NJCAA-China Friendship Series, leading his team to four wins in five games at Beijing. He was the head coach of the NJCAA/USA Team that represented in the USA in the European World Championships at the Honkbal Tournament in Amsterdam, Holland in July 2024 where he led them to a runner-up finish in the tournament. Smith has been a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association for over 35 years.

Smith and his wife, Cathy, reside in Ocala. They have a son Ryan, who both played and coached at the College of Central Florida and currently coaches in the Minnesota Twins organization, and a daughter, Raegan.