NEWS

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Rising junior Jayden Smith laced it up with the nation’s top track athletes this weekend in the 110-meter hurdles at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Smith became the first-ever Wildcat to participate in the national championship event and earn a spot on the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) U23 Championship Team.

The 2023 A-10 Outdoor Track Performer of the Year ran in heat two of the preliminary round and finished fourth in his heat after cruising across the finish line in 13.66 seconds. Smith narrowly missed qualifying for Sunday’s semifinal action by .02 seconds but competed against the likes of the world’s No. 1-ranked hurdler, Grant Holloway and 14th-ranked Eric Edwards.

As one of the youngest athletes in the field for his event, the Richmond, Va. native made more history by earning a spot on Team USA for the 2023 U23 NACAC Championships. Smith was able to secure one of the top-two times among athletes under the age of 23 in the 110-hurdles, thus punching his ticket to this year’s event. The 2023 NACAC Championships will be held on July 21-23 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Smith continues to build his highly-decorated resume which already features four Atlantic 10 gold medals, over a dozen top-ten program times, a top-ten NCAA national qualifying time, and a new conference record in the 110-meter hurdles.