Pat Turner is a contributing writer for GoHilltoppers.com.

Mike Smith admits he didn't know anything about St. Edward's University when a friend told him about the men's soccer coach opening back in 1987.
 
Unfamiliarity, however, wasn't an issue. It was an opportunity to coach college soccer and that was enough to draw Smith's interest. As he learned more about St. Ed's, the enthusiasm grew and turned into a memorable 17-year stint, which also included 13 years as the women's head coach.
 
Smith not only enjoyed success, but also found a home. While becoming familiar with the school, he made St. Edward's a household name among NAIA and Division II soccer.
 
"I was a partner in a computer business that was about to go under," Smith said. "I was coaching club soccer and one of our salesmen asked if I heard about the coaching job at St. Edward's. I asked him where is St. Edward's?
 
"He told me, and I got a resume together. I loved coaching and I needed a job. It was an opportunity to coach at a higher level.
 
"I never had been in a real college soccer program. It was a great opportunity for me. It was lucky timing. I am a Christian and it was like God put me where he wanted me. I wasn't complaining about His plans."
 
Smith is experiencing that homey feeling even more these days as he is being inducted into the St. Edward's University Athletics Hall of Fame. The honor is a pleasant surprise.
 
"I was really taken aback by it," said Smith, who played club soccer at San Antonio Central Catholic and helped start a club team while getting his bachelor's degree at UTSA. "I really wasn't expecting it. I am flattered by it. To be recognized for those 17 years is really neat. When I saw the letter, it brought a tear to my eye."
 
Building a strong soccer foundation at a small college isn't easy by any means but Smith made it work, putting together a 175-135-27 record with the men and 74-71-7 mark with the women.
 
The first order of business was recruiting. Smith, however, was a natural.
 
"The biggest part of recruiting is basically sales," Smith said. "You're selling the kid and his parents on the university and your program. To me it was so easy to sell St. Ed's because I believed in it. I believed in the education, the atmosphere and our program. Of course, it didn't hurt that most of the kids liked the idea of coming to school in Austin."
 
Even though Smith was a top-notch salesman, he still had to make it work once the players were together. He made that happen by mixing well-rounded play with a family atmosphere.
 
"I think I am more of a players' coach," said Smith, who now coaches a club soccer team and serves as college placement director for FC Westlake. "I think most of the players would tell you I cared about them as a coach. Coaching soccer is different than coaching most sports in this country. Most college players call their coaches by their first name. It was strange to me at first, but that's part of it. I always wanted the players to enjoy what they were doing. I didn't want to be a tyrant. That doesn't fit my personality particularly well."
 
Evidently, it worked beginning with an 8-6-3 debut, which included four players from his previous club team. The Hilltoppers were still in the building process in the early years, but things started coming together with a NAIA district playoff trip in 1990. That set the tone for bigger results as the Hilltoppers won the district championship in 1992, before claiming the Heart of Texas Conference Tournament title and earning another district playoff appearance in 1993. Another district tournament appearance occurred in 1996.
 
When St. Ed's made the leap to NCAA Division II in 1998, the Hilltoppers didn't miss a beat, winning the Heartland Conference Tournament title that first season and adding another crown in '99, along with their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
There were memorable matches along the way. Knocking off nearby rival Incarnate Word was always big, including two overtime wins in conference tournament play. Then, there was the 1-0 victory over University of Mobile that occurred on St. Ed's home turf.
 
"Mobile was 15-0 and No. 1 at the time," said the three-time conference coach of the year honoree about the 1994 non-conference contest. "It was 0-0 and we scored the game winner with two minutes to go. Mobile had been dominating everyone. When we scored their players looked around like what the heck just happened. I don't think they had ever trailed. That was a lot fun."
 
In 1990, Smith took his skills a bit farther by also taking over the women's head coaching duties. Once again, good things followed with three postseason appearances and one regional berth.
 
"I had never coached women before," Smith said. "It probably took me a couple years to adjust. It had different challenges, but I really enjoyed coaching the women."
 
Along the way, Smith found something more valuable than accolades – lasting friendships.
 
"There's such a community feel there," Smith said. "I knew a lot of the professors. I was on campus watching a men's game back in September or October and ran into a few people I know.
 
"I was fortunate to coach tons and tons of good kids through the years. I stay in touch with a of them. We are like family. It was the most impactful time period of my life."