USVI track star Michelle Smith. Photo Credit: VIRGIN ISLANDS TRACK AND FIELD FEDERATION.
Michelle Smith's impressive debut season as a University of Georgia Bulldog has earned her national recognition: she has become the first Virgin Islander to be named Freshman of the Year by the NCAA's Southeastern Conference.
Smith's record-breaking performance in the 400-meter hurdles during the Florida Relays in April established her as one of the best collegiate hurdlers in the nation. Her silver medal finish in the event at SEC Championships a month later, as well as her contribution to the silver medal won by the Bulldogs’ 4x400m relay team, cemented her position as the conference's best female freshman runner of 2025.
Having begun her life in collegiate athletics with as much success as she enjoyed in regional and international youth competitions, Ms. Smith will next turn her attention to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which begin on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon. She will then come home to St. Croix on June 17 to participate in the Eunice Bedminster VI National Championships.
