Cavalier Corner

cavalier profile KYLE SMITH Graduate Student • Track & Field While every single UVa student-athlete has plenty on his or her plate, no other Cavalier can relate to the tasks track and field standout Kyle Smith juggled this past spring. In fact, there is not a single UVa student-athlete in the last quarter century that has pulled off what Smith recently wrapped up. A former football player and undergraduate at Central Michigan, Smith spent his final year of eligibility in the Virginia track and field program and is also a student at one of the nation's most prestigious law schools. Smith has only been in Charlottesville for one year, but the Pennsylvania native has been firmly parked in the one-mile radius surrounding Lannigan Field and the Law School facility on Massie Road. During the months leading up to the spring season, Smith spent what little time that he had outside of the classroom gearing up for his final go-around at the collegiate level. Smith's practice sessions were usually sandwiched between lengthy study blocks in both the morning and afternoon. "It was a lot to balance between classes and my track responsibilities," Smith noted. "Luckily, I have a great support system here and everyone here has been great." Prior to arriving on Grounds, Smith was a multi-sport athlete at CMU. He was more than ready to make a splash at the collegiate level in both football and track, having set the Pennsylvania state records for career passing yards and touchdowns while twice earning all-state honors in the javelin. Unfortunately for Smith, injuries derailed his football dreams. Smith suffered an injury to his neck that ultimately ended his gridiron career. "It was a tough setback," Smith noted. "I ended up getting cleared to return months later, but in the end I just focused on track for the rest of my time. It was a lot of adversity, but I feel that it ultimately made me stronger." In the spring of 2014, Smith competed in the javelin and finished 11th at the NCAA East Regional and 17th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. After reviving his track career and graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in electrical engineering last May, Smith added to his already illustrious athletic and academic résumé at UVa. Smith, whose father and oldest sister are lawyers, is currently studying patent law at Virginia and spent this summer as a research assistant for UVa law professor and former Harvard track standout John Duffy. — Drew Goodman ◆ Photo courtesy UVa

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