Jeffrey L. Smith, who took over as the head coach of New York University’s women’s track & field/cross country program during the 1998 indoor track season, enters his 10th year at the helm of the track & field team and his ninth with the cross country team.
Last season, Smith’s track & field team placed fifth at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Indoor Championships, while the cross-country team recorded four top-three finishes.
Individually, a pair of Smith’s athletes produced notable performances last season. Senior Crystal Winter, who established five new team records, won the New York State outdoor 100m title, captured the UAA outdoor 400-meter hurdle event, and placed second at the UAA Indoor Championships in the 55 meters, 200 meters and 55-meter hurdles. During cross country season, senior Shannon Sodano was named UAA Athlete of the Week on two occasions.
Once again, Smith’s student-athletes maintained their tradition of academic as well as athletic excellence. The Violets had a combined 20 recipients of UAA Winter and UAA Spring Sport All-Academic honors, while 12 members of the cross country team earned UAA Fall Sport All-Academic honors. In addition, junior captain Brooke Girley became Smith’s third student-athlete (Melinda Childs and Alexias Taylor were the other two) to receive the Roberto Clemente Award, which is presented by NYU’s Office of African-American, Latino and Asian-American Student Services for a “combination of athletic and academic excellence.”
Since coming to NYU in January 1998, Smith has helped raise the level of performance of both programs. Thus far, he has produced six NCAA All-Americans, 28 UAA Champions, three UAA Rookies of the Year, 18 New York State champions, eight Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award recipients, and numerous UAA All-Academic honorees.
In 2004-05, the Violets established four new team records, while Smith’s roster had two UAA champions (Lauren Pringle: indoor and outdoor high jumps, 55m hurdles indoor; Winter: outdoor 400m hurdles) and 23 UAA All-Academic honorees. Pringle also received the UAA Co-Most Outstanding Performer Award for Running Events at the indoor championships.
During the 2003-04 season, Smith coached All-Americans indoors, outdoors and in cross country. Seniors Lauren Henkel (indoor high jump) and Childs (outdoor 100-meter hurdles) finished among the top-eight in the nation, while Sodano placed 32nd at the NCAA Cross Country Championship to earn All-America accolades. As a team, the Violets produced a best-ever second-place finish at the UAA Indoor Championships, as Smith and his former assistant, Fateen Baaith, were named UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. NYU also finished fourth at the UAA Outdoor Championships. In 2002-03, Beth Van Alstine earned All-America honors indoors (5,000 meters) and outdoors (10,000 meters). In 2001-02, Smith produced his first All-American (Henkel – high jump).
Prior to his arrival at NYU, Smith was the head track & field and cross country coach at the Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY. During his nine years there, Smith led the boys and girls to five cross country championships and to two track & field championships.
A native of Mount Vernon, NY, Smith attended Mount Vernon High School and was a member of the track & field team that captured the 1976 Penn Relays 4x400m relay championship. He also won the 300-yard NY State Championship race in 1977.
Smith, who earned a full athletic scholarship to Texas Christian University, recorded the fastest 400m time in the country as a freshman (46.64). He transferred to Boston University in 1978 and earned his degree in mass communication and management in 1982.
A three-time Greater Boston champion in the 55m while a member of the BU track team, Smith was a conference champion in the 100m, still holds the team record of 20.8 (set in 1982) in the outdoor 200 meters, and was a member of the Terriers’ eighth-place, All-American 4x400m relay team.
Smith, who currently resides in New Haven, Connecticut, has two children: Spencer and Alannah.
