NEWPORT NEWS, Va., August 3, 2009 – Although her days as an undergraduate were coming to an end, North Carolina A&T track star Loreal Smith wasn't ready to stop collecting collegiate honors and trophy.
Smith's persistence to be the best has the awards rolling in 2 ½ months after graduating with a degree in sports science and fitness management. On Friday, Smith was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Woman of the Year at the MEAC Football Luncheon at the Newport News Marriott.
“I had great coaches and great teammates during my time at North Carolina A&T,'' Smith said. “(Director of track and field programs) Roy Thompson always believed in me. He always made me feel like a champion. (Associate head coach) James Daniels pushed me at every practice. No matter how well I did in a race, he constantly encouraged me to do better.”
The conference's Woman of the Year award is annually selected by the senior women administrators to celebrate the achievements of female senior student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and in leadership and service to the community.
Smith graduated with a 3.33 grade point average in May. She is a N.C. A&T scholar athlete, and was named to the MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team in 2008 and 2009.
As an athlete, Smith is one of the most accomplished female athletes to ever compete at N.C. A&T. She is a five-time MEAC champion, winning gold in the 60 meter hurdles (twice), 100 meter hurdles, 400 meter hurdles and the 4x100 meter relay. In 2008, she and Alexandria Spruiel became the first two female track and field athletes in the history of the program to compete in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Nationals.
But it was Smith's 2009 season that placed her in elite company. In March, she advanced to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Nationals for a second consecutive year. During the outdoor season she broke the conference record in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 13.14. She advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Nationals where she and Spruiel achieved more Aggie firsts.
They became the first two female athletes to earn outdoor All-American honors. The duo also became the first two Aggies – male or female – to earn All-American honors at the same event without the benefit of being on a relay team.
The next stop for Smith was the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships where her performances allowed her to advance beyond two preliminary rounds to advance to the finals of the 100 meter hurdles. In the process, she ran a 12.97 to become the first Aggie to run the event under 13 seconds.
Most of her athletic accomplishments came after the school year ended.
In the community, Smith volunteered for many non-profit organizations and schools to help raise awareness for special causes such as breast cancer and AIDS. Smith will be the MEAC nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. She is the second Aggie to win MEAC Woman of the Year. Softball player Renecia Lovelace was the inaugural recipient in 2006.
