INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Fiona Smith of the College of Saint Benedict track and field program has become the fifth student-athlete in school history to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, according to an announcement by the NCAA on July 18.

The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually.  The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.

Smith, the most decorated student-athlete in school history with six individual national titles, 16 All-American honors and numerous national honors, is the first CSB student-athlete honored since Emma Jaynes of volleyball in 2014. Other CSB postgraduate scholars include Leah Wurm of track and field/cross country in 2006, Alexis Brunner in 1996 of track and Field and Laura Wendorff of CSB basketball in 1999-2000.

The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring).  Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program. All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree. in four years at the College of Saint Benedict, Fiona Smith built a legacy defined by inspirational leadership and unparalleled success both academically and athletically. Today (Thursday, July 18), Smith, a 16-time All-American and six-time individual national champion as a member of the CSB track and field/cross country program, has been selected as CSB's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year. 

In a career marked by leadership, success and history-making performances, Smith is the most decorated student-athlete in school history. She recently added another national award to her impressive array of honors. For the second straight year, Smith was named the 2024 USTFCCCA National Scholar Athlete of the Year for NCAA DIII Indoor Track and Field on July 17.

Smith becomes the first Saint Ben's student-athlete to earn the USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year honor in back-to-back years. A year ago, she was the first ever at CSB to earn the honor.

On July 9, Smith was also selected by the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Team Member of the Team for Track and Field/Cross Country in NCAA DIII. She is one of four across all NCAA & NAIA divisions honored with the CSC "Member of the Year" honor for track and field/cross country. 

Smith, who compiled a 4.0 grade point average in mathematics and Hispanic Studies, became the fifth CSB student-athletes named Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for NCAA DIII. Originally of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Smith also recently earned her third straight CSC Academic All-American honor, a first at Saint Benedict. As such, she is the 31st Academic All-American at Saint Benedict and the 13th on first team. Smith has been named first team Academic All-American in 2023-24 and 2022-23 after being named to the second team in 2021-22.  She is among eight Bennies to earn CSC Academic All-American honors at least twice.
 
After yet another record-breaking and amazing season, track and field/cross country Smith was recently named the CSB Athletics "Athlete of the Year" for a third straight time. She is just the second student-athlete in school history to achieve that distinction, joining Marcy Erickson of tennis in 1985-87. Smith began rewriting the history books at CSB, in the MIAC and across NCAA DIII from nearly the first day (Feb. 21, 2021) she competed as a Bennie. Her high-achieving, high-energy, record-breaking efforts continue to her final competition when won a national title (10K - 1st ever at St. Bens) and earned two more All-American honors at the NCAA DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships in humid, and hot conditions in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on May 24-25, 2024.
 
In 2023-24 alone, she won four NCAA DIII individual titles (XC, 3K, 5K, 10K) and seven MIAC titles, unprecedented at St. Bens. Smith earned five All-American honors in 2023-24.

Smith, who earned her second MIAC Elite 22 honor for cross country in fall 2023, earned her fourth straight USTFCCCA All-Academic honor on July 16. She graduated from CSB in May and will pursue a graduate degree at North Carolina State while using a final year of eligibility in the fall. Through it all, she leaves a legacy at CSB that includes those six national titles and 17 individual or relay MIAC titles, making her the most decorated student-athlete in St. Ben's history. Smith is one of five in MIAC history to win at least five individual national track and field titles. Add in her cross-country title in the fall of 2023, and she is one of three in MIAC history to capture six or more national DIII individual titles (Julia Kirtland, eight titles, 1984-87; Kelly Copps, six titles, 1993-95).
 
This past track and field season was truly a work of art. During the outdoor season, she set school records in the 5,000-meter (15:53.27 - fourth best in DIII history) and 10,000-meter (32:57.28 – second all-time in DIII) in addition to the 1,500-meter (4:25.51). Indoors, she set the school record in the 3,000-meter (9:23.40 - fourth fastest in DIII) and 5,000-meter (15:50.48 - fastest all-time in DIII history). During this recent outdoor season, Smith was ranked fifth in the 1,500-meters and top-ranked in both the 5,000-meters and 10,000-meters.

The recipient of the USTFCCCA North Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year honor, Smith was also named the MIAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year for the first time in CSB program history. She was honored after winning the rare triple of the 1,500-meter, 5,000-meters and 10,000 meters at the MIAC Championship on May 10-11 in St. Paul. In the 1,500 and 5,000-meter runs, she established conference championship records.
 
She earned four USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week honors in cross country and track and field and was named USTFCCCA All-Region in seven events. Smith was also named the Honda NCAA DIII Athlete of the Year finalist for cross country, and the Presidential Award winner at the Bennie Awards banquet due to her success in academics, athletics and community engagement. In addition, she was the USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year in Cross Country in on Nov. 21, 2023, and the USTFCCCA National Scholar Athlete of the Year in Cross Country on February 1, 2024.

Smith, who took on summer research projects on campus at CSB and SJU in 2021 and '22 and completed a research internship at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County last year, is a trustee's scholarship recipient, member of Pi Mu Epsilon, Delta Epsilon Sigma, Phi Beta Kappa and is an Honors Scholar.
 
Additionally, Smith earned six USTFCCCA national athlete of the week honors, holds multiple conference and school records, and was named the Chi Alpha Sigma National Scholar Athlete of the Year.

In the community, Fiona has been active in Kids Fighting Hunger and has worked with "Around Cloud Tutors" doing online tutoring for youth. Additionally, she served as a volunteer for Casa San Benito and was an Honors Scholars Program speaker. Smith has worked as a member of the subcommittee for improving facilities and student experience at CSB, as well as being the captain for the cross country and track and field teams. Smith has also been involved in undergraduate research during her time at CSB which has helped her to develop her creativity and critical thinking skills.