NEW ORLEANS, La. – After two more records and another dominating performance, All-American Fiona Smith of the No. 25 College of Saint Benedict cross country team has been named the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week for cross country.

Smith, a senior mathematics major from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, continues to set a high standard as she earned her second USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week for Cross Country after being named on Sept. 22, 2022. She is the first student-athlete in CSB school history to earn the honor not only once but actually three times overall in cross country (Sept, 18, 2023; Sept. 22, 2022) and track and field (May 2, 2023).  

On Sept. 16, Smith, a two-time All-American in cross country, set a school record for a second straight week and added the Carleton Invitational course record (21:27) to her long resume of outstanding performances by winning the individual title. In back-to-back weeks she has broken school and course records.

In the 6,000-meter race  of the "Running of the Cows" at the Carleton Invitational, she clocked 20:12.70, which shattered her previous 2022 mark of 20:51.6 by over 39 seconds. She finished 1:29 ahead of the field and second place finisher MaKenna Thurston, an NCAA DII All-American from Minnesota State, who clocked 21:42.6.

Smith, who helped CSB to a fourth-place team finish with 120 points, averaged 5:25.1 per mile and owned a 3:22.1 average per kilometer. Through 1000-meters, she was at 3:19.1 and hit 6:35.9 at 2,000-meters. At the 4,000-meter mark, Smith had a 13:22.3 and clocked 16:52.6 at 5,000-meters. A week ago, Smith earned her ninth MIAC Athlete of the Week honor in cross country after setting a record in the 5,000-meters of 16:41.53 at the CSB Invite.

The two-time defending MIAC and North Region champion, Smith now has 25 school, conference, or facility records and the 49th individual title in cross country or track and field at CSB. In each of the two individual wins this year, Smith surpassed her previous best by nearly 40 seconds. In those two wins, she has won by an average of nearly one minute, 45 seconds. This weekend, her performance was highlighted by dominating a field with at least three All-American athletes.