Admin (Garrett Zatlin)
Dec 4, 20232 min
Earlier today, Fiona Smith announced via Instagram that she will be joining the NC State women in the fall of 2024 as a graduate transfer. The Stride Report has confirmed that she will have one full year of eligibility remaining across all three seasons of competition.
Smith has been a dominant force on both the grass and the track over the last year (and even beyond that). The D3 megastar has run times of 4:25 (1500), 4:52 (mile), 9:25 (3k), 15:50 (5k) and 33:05 (10k). That 5k time was run this past weekend at the Boston U. Season Opener which made Smith the newest NCAA D3 indoor 5k record holder.
During the 2023 indoor track season, Smith cruised to fairly dominant national title victories in both the 3000 meters and the 5000 meters.
On the grass, Smith has been electric. The College of St. Benedict runner easily won the D3 cross country national title this past fall by over a minute to cap an undefeated season. She also finished runner-up at the 2022 NCAA D3 XC Championships and was 5th at the 2021 NCAA D3 XC Championships.
With a total of 12 All-American honors, three of which were national titles, a collegiate record and a full year of racing at the D3 level still remaining, Smith will likely conclude her time as an undergraduate as one of the best D3 distance runners of all-time.
After winning their third-straight national team title, the NC State women will be forced to enter an entirely new era of their roster's life cycle as Kelsey Chmiel, Sam Bush and Amaris Tyynismaa having finished their cross country eligibility. Katelyn Tuohy does have cross country eligibility remaining, although it is unlikely that she will return in 2024 with allure of a pro contract awaiting her.
By signing Fiona Smith, Coach Laurie Henes will be able to introduce a high-ceiling, top-tier veteran to stabilize what will be a fairly young and still-developing cross country team in 2024. In a program that will be depleted of elite firepower (compared to this past fall), Smith could emerge as a true D1 All-American low-stick to complement the scoring prowess of current freshman, Leah Stephens.
With so many key names nearing the end of their time in Raleigh, it is unlikely that Fiona Smith is the only transfer target who NC State will ultimately sign over the next few months. Expect Coach Laurie Henes to continue her aggressive pursuit of top aerobic-centric distance talents to provide greater stability and low-stick firepower to next year's group.