NEW ORLEANS -- College of Saint Benedict junior Fiona Smith was named the September 26, 2022 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA DIII National Athlete of the Week after her outstanding performance at the Roy Griak Invitation this past weekend. Smith is the first student-athlete in program history to be named M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week during the cross country season. 

Smith was the top NCAA DIII finisher at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational in a field that included 386 NCAA II, DIII and NAIA competitors. Smith ran stride for stride for the first 3K with the defending Roy Griak Maroon Division individual champion and 2021 NCAA DII 7th place finisher, Lindsay Cunningham of Winona State, who was also named National Athlete of the Week for her performance, receiving the honor for NCAA DII. Smith dropped a few seconds back at the 5K mark and finished just 13 seconds behind Cunningham when she crossed the finish line. 

Her National Athlete of the Week honor notes, "When you head to the Roy Griak Invitational, you throw time expectations out the window and compete, especially on a course like that. On paper, a runner-up performance in a field stacked with NCAA DII athletes is impressive – but 21:18 is next to her name is even more so. What takes it up a notch is Smith running the second fastest time ever in the Suzy Wilson Maroon Race and the fastest NCAA DIII athlete to run the 6k tract."

Smith finished second overall in the race in a time of 21:18.6 -- she is the only CSB student-athlete in school history to break the 22-minute barrier. Smith's time in the race was more than 30 seconds faster than the third place finisher and 1:47 faster than the next NCAA DIII finisher.

Smith continues her strong season after a 17:21.3 5K in week one and a 20:11.3 over 5.9K in week two. Smith and the Bennies will travel to Lansing, Mich. to compete this weekend in the Pre-National event hosted at the Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing.