York’s Smith Headed To The SEC, Signs With Missouri

Story and Photos by Rusty Ellis

York Institute senior Nic Smith put pen to paper and officially signed his national letter of intent to play baseball for Missouri on Wednesday.

Smith has been a two-sport start for the Dragons, as he’s been a three-year starter for the basketball team in addition to being the baseball team’s ace and leadoff hitter. Smith also plays centerfield to add to his resume.

“I want to continue to enjoy my senior year, but I’m really excited to get to Columbia and make an impact,” Smith said. “I can use the rest of my senior year to do that, and I want to try my hardest to improve all areas of my baseball game before I get to go down there.”

Smith’s been committed to Missouri since he was a sophomore, and he remained that way through a less-than-ideal recruiting process due to the pandemic in 2020.

“I couldn’t really go take visits anywhere,” Smith said. “Before I committed, I had a lot of phone calls with a lot of calls, and a couple zoom calls where I got to sit face-to-face with a couple college coaches…I really feel like me and the coaches made a great connection. In building that relationship, I probably talked to them for a year-and-a-half straight and probably three times a week.”

When he finally did get to take a visit, Smith says he fell in love with the campus immediately.

“I love the campus and love the athletic facilities,” Smith said. “I love the coaches, and I really think I’m going to fit in well.”

Smith emphasized enjoying his senior year, and now he gets that chance by signing before basketball season begins next Tuesday.

“I wanted to know where I was going before my senior year,” Smith said. “I feel like I’m going to have a lot of fun in basketball season, and I feel like we’re going to be successful. Then baseball season comes around the corner, and I really just want to impact all the baseball players and help them as much as I can before I leave, because they mean a lot to me.”

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