SMITH HEADS TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT AGE 18...
CLEVELAND, OH (November 14, 2007) -
Dominic Smith will be all alone on the trail for the first time in his collegiate career this Saturday in Northfield, Minnesota when the Case Western Reserve University junior from New Richmond, Ohio, races in the 2007 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships .
Smith wasn't alone last weekend when he crossed the finish line in eighth place (25:12) at the Great Lakes Regional Championship in Michigan. He also didn't reflect on the hard work that earned him his first trip and to the NCAA national meet and the University's first one on the men's side in three years.
“There wasn't all that much in terms of the season flashing in front of me – I was gasping for air,” Smith smirked. “I remember (Head Coach Kathy Lanese) came over and hugged me. I almost threw up on her.”
Once he came to his senses, Smith turned around and tried to find out where the rest of his team was. The Spartans' goal all season long was to qualify for the Championships as a team, so teammate junior Ryan Gjoraas could compete for All-America status near his hometown of Plymouth, Minn. Unfortunately they did not, finishing eighth overall of 34 teams.
Sixteen teams receive automatic bids to the NCAA Championships (two from each region) and another 16 earn at-large bids based on regional finishes and in-season performance.
“It would have been nice to have everyone out there, including Ryan, and to reach our goal,” Smith explained. “But they (the team) are still coming out to support me, which is amazing. The hardest thing for me will be when I am on the line right before the race. We made each other relax.”
Smith, who is majoring in economics and has a 3.27 GPA, celebrated his 18th birthday in September - he enrolled at Case Western Reserve in the fall of 2005 at the ripe “old” age of 15. But make no mistake, whatever he may lack in muscle development, he makes up in hard work and mental toughness.
“I just have to say to myself, ‘yeah this kid is three or four years older than me and there is no way I am going to let him beat me,'” Smith said. “It (age) is one of those things you have to make sure you never let be an excuse.”
Smith led the Spartans to their best University Athletic Association finish since 1993 this season. Case Western Reserve, which finished seventh in the conference a year ago, placed third out of eight teams and Smith earned All-UAA first team honors with a fifth-place finish (25:12). His career-best time is 24:59.
The meet will take place in Northfield, Minnesota on the campus of St. Olaf College. The women's race is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m., while the men's race is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
ABOUT CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY… Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu .
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