#0 Stephanie Smith Season 2003-04
2002-03 Team Captain
2002 Honorable Mention All-American
LSU Record Holder in the 500-yard freestyle
LSU Record Holder in the 1000-yard freestyle
LSU Record Holder in the 1650-yard freestyle
JUNIOR SEASON (2002-03)
One of the top distance freestyle swimmer’s in LSU history … Qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year and competed in every meet … Shattered three school records, including two of her own in the 500 and 1000 freestyle … Finished 20th in the 1650 freestyle (16:31.55) and placed 29th in the 500 freestyle (4:50.22) at the NCAA Championships … Had the Lady Tigers’ two best times in the finals of the 500 (4:51.91) and 1650 (16.41.46) freestyle at the SEC Championships, finishing eleventh and eighth, respectively … Had her most impressive performance at the Nike Cup Invitational … Broke her own school records in the 1000 (9:50.51) and 1650 (16:25.47) freestyle at the Nike Cup … The time in the 1650 freestyle was the fourth-fastest time in the SEC and the 15th-fastest time in the country all season … Also shattered the school record in the 500 freestyle, 4:47.75, at the Nike Cup … That time was the seventh-fastest time in the SEC all season … Won two events in the season finale versus Kentucky on Feb. 2, capturing the 500 and 1650 freestyle … Played a pivotal part in LSU’s 800 freestyle relay team that finished sixth at the SEC Championships (7:28.52) … Won four events at Florida State, including the 500 and 1000 yard freestyle and both relays … Opened up the spring season as a double winner against Texas A&M and Rice, finishing first in the 1000 freestyle (10:01.16) and 500 freestyle (4:53.23), an NCAA “B” cut time … Named the “Most Valuable Female Swimmer” for the season … Earned her second varsity letter.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2001-02)
Smith had a breakout season for the Lady Tigers in her first season of competition, as she swam in every meet of the season including both the SEC and NCAA Championships … Established herself as one of the top women’s distance swimmers in the conference … Named an Honorable Mention All-American after finishing 13th in the finals of the 1650 freestyle in a school-record time of 16:25.47 at the NCAA Championships … Also placed 44th in the preliminaries of the 500 freestyle at the NCAA’s … Finished seventh in the finals of both the 500 and 1650 freestyle at the SEC Championships as she swam the 500 in a time of 4:51.81 and finished the 1650 in 16:38.41 … One of only three Lady Tigers in history to own a school record in more than one event as she has the best time in both the 1000 and 1650 freestyle in LSU history … Set the LSU Natatorium pool record in the 1650 freestyle in LSU’s final home meet of the season on Feb. 2, 2002, with a time of 16:42.41 … Won two events in the season opener against Houston and went on to win two events in four of LSU’s seven meets during the fall season … Swam the 1650 in a school-record time of 16:37.15 at the Nike Cup Invitational which qualified her for the NCAA Championships and stood as a record until she broke it at the championships later in the season … Swam the 1650 in a time of 16:31.27 at the Texas Invitational on March 1 in Austin, Texas, to break a 21-year old school record in the same pool that she would swim in later in the month at the NCAA Championships … Continued the trend of setting and breaking her own record as she set a school record in the 1650 at the NCAA Championships on March 23 in Austin, Texas … Named the team’s “Most Improved Female” at the annual awards banquet … Earned her first varsity letter.
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON (2000-01)
Spent the season rehabilitating her neck injury.
FRESHMAN SEASON (1999-2000)
Redshirted due to an injury to her neck.
PRIOR TO LSU
Named an All-American in the 500 freestyle competition during her senior season at John Curtis High School … State record holder in the 500 freestyle event … High school State Champion in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events … Junior National Qualifier in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle competitions, as well as the 400 IM event … USS State Champion … Vice President of the National Honor Society … Member of the Honor Roll at John Curtis High School.
PERSONAL
Born May 19, 1981 … Parents are Al and Debbie Smith … Majoring in kinesiology.
STEPHANIE’S TOP TIMES
100-yard freestyle 54.85 2003 vs. UL-Monroe and Delta State
200-yard freestyle 1:51.42 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
500-yard freestyle 4:47.75 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
1000-yard freestyle 9:50.51 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
1650-yard freestyle 16:21.41 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
50-yard backstroke 30.36 2002 vs. Wright State
100-yard backstroke 1:02.34 2002 vs. Wright State