Princeton senior Sydney Smith, middle, announced her commitment to run track and field for the University of Kansas on Oct. 29. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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The University of Kansas was the first collegiate track and field program to recruit Princeton senior Sydney Smith.

That early interest, combined with the relationships she developed with the Jayhawks’ coaching staff, ultimately helped Kansas win her commitment.

Smith announced Thursday night on X, formerly Twitter, that she plans to continue her track and field career at Kansas.

“They were ahead of the game,” Smith said. “They recruited me starting from the beginning of my junior year. I built a good relationship with Coach (Stanley) Redwine and the other coaches on the staff. A year later, I went on a visit and loved everything about it. The campus was really pretty. Everyone was really nice. The coaching staff and team were very welcoming.”

Smith also received offers from Purdue, New Mexico and Utah, among other schools, but the personal connection she established with Kansas proved to be the deciding factor.

“One of the main things that I wanted in a school was to have a good relationship with the coaches and be comfortable with the coaches, and that was the main reason why I decided to sign with Kansas,” she said. “It was an amazing school, especially knowing that they are in the Big 12. Knowing that big of a school was interested in me so early in my high school career made me feel wanted.”

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