Brianna Smith, a 2020 graduate of Cheltenham High School a current track star at Duke University, was featured today by the Philadelphia Inquirer in an article titled “Cheltenham standout Brianna Smith is a ‘natural leader’ on the track and for other athletes at Duke“.

Smith, a senior who earned All-American honors in March, competed in the heptathlon and the high jump at the NCAA women’s outdoor track and field championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon this weekend.

The Elkins Park native finished ninth in the 200 meters, 21st in the shot put, tied for ninth in the high jump, and 17th in the 100-meter hurdles, standing 13th overall with 3,444 points.

At the Penn Relays in April, Smith finished second in the high jump. She won gold in the high jump as a sophomore at the ACC championships.

Smith also serves as the president of Duke’s United Black Athletes, a role she held at Cheltenham as president of the Black Student Union during her junior and senior years.

“I think I’ve always been a natural leader,” Smith told the Inquirer. “I’m the oldest of six siblings.”

Smith recently graduated with a degree in biology and will head to UCLA to study sickle cell disease. After that, she plans to pursue a Ph.D., the Inquirer said.

In March, she was named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association All-Academic team.

“Selflessness is one of Brianna’s greatest character traits, as well as loyalty, courage, generosity and integrity,” said Cheltenham coach Jerome Lowery after she became Pennsylvania’s No. 1-rated performer in the pentathlon in 2020. “It’s not hard to look at Brianna and see her as a standout athlete. On paper, she’s garnered many athletic accolades over the years, and behind her smile is an amazing young athlete in the making. She works very hard to maintain her glowing GPA, and without seeking applause or recognition, she still finds time to be a great leader and mentor and excellent older sister to her siblings. It’s been a great pleasure to coach her.”

Her career stats at Duke can be found here.

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Photo: Duke University Athletics