Fiona Smith puts her name in the history books (again)

On Nov. 18, senior captain Fiona Smith of CSB cross country competed in the NCAA DIII National Championships in Newville, Pa. where, in a historic, record-setting day, she became the first cross country national champion in CSB history.

Smith, a 12-time All-American, won by a margin of 63 seconds, which broke the championship record for the largest margin of victory in a DIII women’s cross country national championship race.

Despite a challenging course with many hills, Smith also broke the championship record by clocking a time of 19:54.1 and became the first woman in a DIII cross country national championship race to run under 20 minutes.

In the week following her national title, Smith was named the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA DIII National Athlete of the Year in cross country, which is the second USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year honor she has received.

When she came to CSB, her goal was to just qualify for nationals. Smith, who has never finished lower than fifth in any national championship race, didn’t realize how much success she would find season after season.

This was Smith’s third appearance at the cross country national championships. Due to COVID, there was no season her first year, but she finished fifth her sophomore year and second her junior year. This year, she was finally able to grab the national title.

“I’m proud of my second and fifth place finishes, but coming away as a champion means so much more and is so special,” Smith said.

Being the first cross country national champion in CSB history means a lot to Smith.

“It just shows it can be done anywhere by any team, and I hope, for Bennies in the future, it makes it a possibility and something that’s more attainable for them. It also means a lot to be able to bring this back to the community and for all the alums that came before me,” Smith said.

With her historic win as the first cross country national champion in school history, Smith is able to leave her legacy at CSB.

“I have records, but records will fall. But being a cross country national champion is something I’ll always have, and being the first at CSB is something I’ll always have, so it’s really special,” Smith said.

One of Smith’s goals heading into nationals was to take in the whole experience and enjoy every moment. On Saturday, Smith said there was a lot of adrenaline and stress, but she made sure to cherish everything and realize how special of a day it was.

“It was one of the most memorable days of my life so far, and to be able to experience it with so much of my family was special. At the finish line, I was able to run right into my parent’s arms, which was also very special,” Smith said.

Much of Smith’s success can be attributed to her motivation, consistency and genuine love for the sport. Many athletes often face burnout, but Smith remains very goal-oriented.

“My run is usually the best part of my day, and when workouts get tough, I remind myself of the goal I’m trying to reach,” Smith said.

She also recognizes how important her teammates are in helping her stay motivated.

“During races, I think of them because cross country is a team sport, and we’re doing it for each other. I know every other girl is working just as hard if not harder than I am, so I need to give my best effort,” Smith said.

Smith first got into running in middle school. Both her parents were athletes in high school but began running for fun in college. Then, after college, they got into marathons and began pursuing this passion.

“Growing up with that lifestyle kind of set the precedent. In seventh grade, my dad encouraged me to join cross country because he believed I would really enjoy it and be good at it,” Smith said.

Reflecting on her time on the cross country team, Smith remembers how special each national competition was, but also the memories she made with her teammates. Getting to spend four years with her best friends and seeing them each day, along with the team dinners, movie nights and little moments, are what stick with her.

This sport has taught Smith a lot about hard work and sacrifice.

“There’s a lot of lifestyle choices I make that people think wouldn’t be worth it for themselves, but for me it is. Practice can be a big time commitment and hard workouts can be painful, but being able to continue and know despite the bad days you will have good days keeps me going,” Smith said.

Next fall, Smith will be going to graduate school at North Carolina State University for math and will use her last year of eligibility to run cross country, indoor track and outdoor track for the Wolfpack.

NC State has won the women’s cross country national championship the last three years, so Smith is very grateful to be joining the program.

“My goal is to contribute as much as I can to their team goals. A big goal of mine is to run pro, and I think going to NC State next year will set me up well to do that,” Smith said.

Senior Annie Kiolbasa, who qualified for nationals as an individual, also competed in the meet. She didn’t finish quite where she wanted to but still had an amazing experience.

“It was a totally different experience being with that level of competition. Everyone had worked really hard to get there, so being in a race with that good of competition was amazing,” Kiolbasa said.

Smith’s overall dedication and consistency is very inspiring to Kiolbasa, along with how supportive she is of her teammates.

“Seeing someone at that level also build up their teammates is amazing. No matter how high up she finishes, she’s just as excited for her teammates doing well,” Kiolbasa said.

Senior captain Lucy Lyngen, one of Smith’s friends and teammates, first met Smith in January of her first year during the team’s training week for track.

“She’s someone who I feel comfortable goofing off with and being my most authentic self around. I think it’s really fun to be able to goof off with someone who also knows when it’s time to focus,” Lyngen said.

Lyngen wanted to recognize Smith’s selflessness towards her teammates and opponents after a race.

“At the end of her races, she is picking up everyone. She’s congratulating everyone. Patting the backs of her opponents. She is someone who crosses the finish line first for most races and she’s someone who is there to uplift her teammates and her opponents afterwards,” Lyngen said.

Lyngen admires Smith’s humble acts and genuine care for anyone she’s competing with.

“I think it’s really cool that someone is that good both at heart and at her races. I think that’s something people should really notice,” Lyngen said.

Senior captain Bridget Tetmeyer is another one of Smith’s close friends and teammates. The two have been teammates since freshman year.

Tetmeyer said having Smith as a teammate is amazing because she is a great role model for working hard and being an attentive and compassionate friend and leader.

“She is always there to offer congratulations, encouragement and comfort. Even though her level of running exceeds anyone else on the team, Fiona recognizes that all of us give 100% whether we can finish the race in 15 minutes or 25,” Tetmeyer said.

Although Smith receives lots of recognition for her many accomplishments, Tetmeyer wants to recognize that Smith isn’t all business or boring, but rather someone who has a good balance between working hard and having fun.

“She is spontaneous and silly and is so confident and content to do what makes her happy, which is something I really admire. Her time in college might look structured and bland to some, but Fiona knows she doesn’t need to be doing what everyone else is doing, and she is true to that,” Tetmeyer said.

Head coach Robin Balder-Lanoue said Smith’s win means a great deal to the program but also extends much further than that.

“It transcends beyond the program — it transcends into the school, into our alums, and into all the people who were on the team before her who helped lay the groundwork of building a program and making it great,” Balder-Lanoue said.

Although she does most of her training alone, Balder-Lanoue said it’s easy for Smith to stay motivated because the goal was to keep her healthy, happy and hungry, which is exactly what they’ve done.

“She runs with joy. She is passionate about running, and if it is your passion, it is never a chore. Having to run alone is not a sacrifice. She loves that time and it fills her up,” Balder-Lanoue said.

Balder-Lanoue said another way Smith has stayed motivated is by enjoying the whole process.

“It’s easy to set goals, but to really enjoy the process is so important. Enjoying the entire process is something she does very well, so when you enjoy and understand the importance of this process and what it will lead you to, it makes staying motivated that much easier,” Balder-Lanoue said.

DIII athletics is about developing athletes, and Balder-Lanoue believes Smith has really bought into and trusted the process for what she needs to do to get to the next level.

“She’s never stopped setting goals. She stays hungry,” Balder-Lanoue said.

Smith’s humbleness is also admired by Balder-Lanoue.

“She is probably the most humble human being I have ever met. As a three-time national champion and a 12-time All-American, keeping that groundedness is so important. Because of who she is, she has a ton of fans, and because of who she is everyone wants to be part of her success and root for her,” Balder Lanoue said.