Fiona Smith of CSB named USTFCCCA North Region Athlete of the Year for 3rd straight year
Haley Jung, CSB Athletic Media Relations

Fiona Smith becomes 1st in program & MIAC history to earn three straight USTFCCCA DIII North Region XC Athlete of the Year honors

11/14/2023

By: Dan Genzler, Athletic Media Relations Director
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Senior Fiona Smith of the College of Saint Benedict cross country team continues to make history by becoming the first ever in school and MIAC history to earn three  consecutive USTFCCCA NCAA DIII North Region Athlete of the Year honors.  

Smith, a senior from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, was announced the recipient of the USTFCCCA North Region Athlete of the Year honor.  Along with teammate Annie Kiolbasa, Smith have been selected by the NCAA DIII Men's and Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Committee as participants for the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pa.

On Sunday (Nov. 12), Smith, who became the first-ever in recorded MIAC history to win three straight NCAA DIII North Region titles, and Kiolbasa, who finished 18th at the regional, both earned invitations to compete at the NCAA DIII Championships.  

Smith, who clocked 20:42.2 to win the NCAA DIII North regional crown by 25 seconds, will try to become CSB's first-ever national cross country champion and three time All-American.

A year ago, Smith earned All-American honors for a second time in a runner-up finish a year ago at the NCAA DIII national championship meet. Smith, who was the NCAA DIII North Region Athlete of the Year in both 2021 and 2022, has dominated in every competition this year with six racing wins. This year, Smith has won four All-MIAC Athletes of the Week and two USTFCCA National Athlete of the Week honors. She has set course records at nearly every competition, established MIAC bests, and broken school records three times.

Smith is the first runner at the NCAA DIII level to twice crack sub-20 minutes in the 6K in the same year. At the Connecticut College Invite on Oct. 14, she set a course and school record with a 19:51.1 and then she set the MIAC championship record with a 19:55.1 in winning her third straight 6K individual title at the MIAC Championship on Oct. 28. Smith and, Kiolbasa helped lead CSB to third place in the team standings at the 2023 MIAC Championship.  
 
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