Fiona Smith Makes History as First-Ever DIII Cross Country Individual Champion
Key points:
- Fiona Smith of the College of Saint Benedict became the first-ever DIII cross country individual champion in school history.
- Smith set a championship record and became the first-ever in DIII history to clock sub-20 minutes in the 6,000-meter race.
- Annie Kiolbasa also performed well, finishing 144th in the race.
Fiona Smith makes history at the 2023 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championship as she becomes the first-ever athlete from Saint Benedict to win the individual title. Smith’s record-breaking performance saw her clock in at 19:54.1 in the six-kilometer race, becoming the first in DIII history to finish in under 20 minutes. With this triumph, Smith has now achieved three NCAA DIII individual titles and holds a total of 12 All-American honors. Her coach, Robin Balder-Lanoue, commended Smith’s ability to handle pressure and execute her race plan. Fiona Smith and Annie Kiolbasa’s exceptional performances led Saint Benedict to third place in the team standings at the 2023 MIAC Championship.
Read more at College of Saint Benedict Athletics
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