PBR Nebraska Commitment Spotlight - 2024 SS Ty Smolinski - Kansas State
July 15, 2022
Pascal Paul
PBR Nebraska
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PBR: Why did you choose the school you did?
Ty: I chose Kansas State because of the coaches and the culture that they are building. They made me feel at home right away, which was a huge factor in making my decision. The Big 12 is a great baseball conference and K State is also close to home.
PBR: Where did the coaching staff first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?
Ty: The coaching staff at K State had seen me play my freshman summer and I had also participated in a camp there early last fall. At beginning of this summer the K State staff took our Nebraska Prospects team through a practice and that is where the relationship started. From there I started having calls with Coach Connolly and Coach Wates to get to know more about the program. My family and I then met with Coach Hughes, Wates, and Connolly on a zoom call and that is when they offered. My Dad and I went down to Manhattan to get on campus again and visit some of the academic buildings. Both academically and athletically K State had everything I was looking for.
PBR: Was there one deciding factor that put your choice over the top?
Ty: The biggest factor that ultimately made my decision so easy was how much the staff valued me and made me feel like a big piece of what they are wanting to build for the future.
PBR: Who has helped you the most to get to where you are today?
Ty: The people who have helped me get to where I am today is my family. My dad had shaped me into the player I am today and made me love the game. My mom had taught me how to compete at a young age and had helped me a lot throughout the recruiting process. My brother and sister are my biggest fans and I couldn’t do any of this without there support.
PBR: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? Was it easy/difficult?
Ty: My goal for the recruiting process was to build relationships with coaches and learn more about each program that I was taking into consideration. I also wanted the coaching staff and my future teammates to ultimately be an extension of my family. I found the recruiting process to be enjoyable. I met with a lot of great coaches and it really helped me see what I valued most as a student athlete.
PBR: What is your most memorable baseball moment to date?
Ty: My most memorable baseball moment was playing in WWBA last summer and making it into the top bracket. I love going to those tournaments because nobody expects anything out of a team from Nebraska, but we go down and compete with the best every year.
PBR: Who is the best player that you have competed against?
Ty: The best player that I have competed against is Kale Fountain. I have played against and with Kale since I was 8 and have always known he was a special talent.
