Jake Smith '23 Recruiting Profile

My name is Jake Smith and I am a Junior at Highland Regional High School. I started running my freshman year to get in shape for lacrosse. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for me, as it allowed me to spend more of my time getting better at running. That was also when I made my decision to participate in spring track instead of lacrosse.

After not being that serious about running my Freshman year, I am now the captain of the team my Junior year thanks to my passion for running and  good leadership skills. 

I have always been told that I am a very determined and coachable athlete. I do not like to make excuses and I make the best out of whatever cards I am dealt in life. This mentality showed especially during this cross country season. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my fibula and was not able to run from early September to the middle of October after only running one race. I finished my season being the third man on my team at the Group Championships, which I helped my team qualify for. 

Even though I am very invested in running, I take my academics just as seriously. I am 25th in my class with a 3.7 GPA and a 4.2 weighted GPA. My education is always a priority, so I am looking for a school that will help me grow academically and athletically.