Class of 1997
Born: February 28, 1956 in Rochester, PA
Category: Track & Field
Smith was the Track and Field News 1974 National High School Athlete of the Year at Uniondale High School on Long Island. He attended Auburn University where he ran the 100m and 400m. Along with fellow Auburn teammate Harvey Glance, he earned a spot representing the U.S. Track & Field team at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. He was a two-time NCAA 400-meter champion (1977 and 1978), and in 1978 earned Auburn University’s top honor as Athlete of the Year. After graduation, he won the U.S. 400-meter championship (1979, 1980) and the World Championship as a member of 4×400-meter relay team (1979-81). His hopes of an Olympic Gold Medal were ruined in 1980 when, after making the U.S. Team, he had to sit out the competition when the U.S. boycotted the games. However, he later won a gold medal as a member of the 4×400 relay team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
