BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Fiona Smith of the College of Saint Benedict outdoor track and field team has been named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (MIAC) Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week after recording the fifth-fastest 1,500-meters in NCAA DIII this year.

Smith won the 1,500 meters at the Joe Sweeney Invitational at St. Thomas University on Wednesday, May 1 in St. Paul. A 14-time All-American and five-time national NCAA DIII champion in track and field/cross country, she just missed setting a school-record by clocking 4:25.80, which was just .29 from her all-time mark. After another standout effort, Smith is now ranked top-five in three events in DIII, including first in the 5K and 10K.

For the senor standout, the MIAC weekly honor is the 29^th of her career in cross country (12), indoor (five) and outdoor (12) track and field.

Already this year, has Smith clocked the fastest outdoor 5,000-meters in school and MIAC history of 15:53.27 at the Drake Relays on April 25 as part of the distance carnival. She recorded the fastest 5,000-meters in NCAA DIII this year. Her performance at the Drake Relays broke her own 5,000-meter school record of 16:05.43 set a year ago at the Drake Relays on April 16, 2023. The clocking was also the fourth fastest all-time at the DIII level. She is also just the second DIII women's runner to crack 16 minutes in the 5K both indoor and outdoor.

At the Stanford Invitational on March 29, Smith shattered the school and MIAC record with the second best 10,000-meters time in NCAA DIII history by clocking 32:57.28 at the Cobb Track and Angell Field. 

Next for Smith and the CSB Outdoor Track and Field Team will be the MIAC Outdoor Track and Fieldd Championships on May 10-11 in St. Paul.