Bianca Smith

Bianca Smith's lifelong dedication to baseball led her to a dream job as the first Black female coach at the professional level. A staggering resume, extensive knowledge of biomechanical analysis and a passion for coaching made her a perfect choice as the Boston Red Sox's new minor league coach. Smith followed in her ambitious mother's footsteps to Dartmouth, where she played varsity softball, managed the college baseball team and was the only female player on the club team. Determined to secure a leadership role in the major leagues, Smith attended Case Western University for a dual J.D./MBA program in sports law and management. She also worked as the school's director of baseball operations. For that position and later jobs with the Texas Rangers, the headquarters of Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds, and Carroll University in Wisconsin, Smith was primarily paid in experience from roles that she helped create or expand. "I'm perfectly aware that, at least on the college level, I am more qualified than the majority of coaches getting hired," she told the New York Times. "As a Black person, I don't feel like I face the discrimination in sports that I do as a woman." Smith went from dozens of rejections and dead ends in her job search to sponsorships with Oakley, Topps, and Nike. Her agent even hinted to the Times that a Bianca Smith baseball card is on the way. She is an inspiration for millions of fans and future leaders in baseball.