Bennie Cross Country Star Named Scholar Athlete of the Year in Division III

(KNSI) – A senior athletic standout at the College of St. Benedict is also being honored for her work in the classroom.

Fiona Smith became the first woman to finish in under 20 minutes at the NCAA Championships for the Division III level this fall. That already earned her the distinction of United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA DIII National Athlete of the Year in Cross Country, which she picked up on November 21st.

Thursday, the USTFCCCA named Smith the Scholar Athlete of the Year for NCAA Division III Cross Country. She got the same award in July 2023 for track and field. As if Smith’s trophy shelf wasn’t heavy enough, she is also in the running for the Honda Award in cross country.

Smith is only the eighth Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference runner to win a national crown. She dominated the race, clearing the finish line over one minute ahead of the runner-up. The event was held in Pennsylvania.

Smith was born in Saudi Arabia. She is majoring in mathematics and computer science.

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