Dec. 3, 2004

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- It was announced that Providence College senior cross country runner Kim Smith (Auckland, New Zealand) is a nominee for the 2004-05 Cross Country Honda Sports Award. The winner will be decided by nationwide voting among NCAA member schools and will receive the Honda Award for cross country and become a nominee for the Honda Broderick Award, given annually to the nation's outstanding collegiate woman athlete of the year.

In addition to the award, which will be announced by December 6, Honda will donate $1,000 to the women's athletic fund of each nominee's university. The winner's program will receive $5,000. Caroline Bierbaum of Columbia, Renee Metivier of Colorado and Laura Turner of Brigham Young, round out the list of nominees.

Smith capped off her collegiate career by winning the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championship on November 22 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Smith led from the start and won the race by 18 seconds. In addition to her victory at the NCAA's, Smith captured the NCAA Northeast Regional and BIG EAST championships.

Smith received the Honda Award for Track and Field on June 2 after her brilliant 2003-04 season in which she captured the NCAA Indoor 3,000 and 5,000-meter championships in NCAA record time. She also won NCAA outdoor 5,000-meter championship and set the outdoor 5,000-meter record at the Mt. Sac Relays.