Senior men's track standout J.D. Smith was named IUPUI's Male Athlete of the Month for the months of May/June 2013. Smith became IUPUI's first-ever men's track All-Summit League performer by virtue of his third-place finish in the 3,000m steeplechase at the league championship meet on Tuesday (May 10).
Running just his second collegiate steeple, the Carmel, Ind.-native ran a personal best time of 9:21.27, easily claiming third overall. He dropped nearly 13 seconds off his previous best mark and lowered his school record in the process.
The versatile Smith placed 10th in the 5,000m race, crossing in a time of 15:12.51 and was a member of the Jaguars' 4x400 relay team. Smith also placed 10th in the javelin throw, hoisting a distance of 45.02m in Muncie.
Smith capped the season as IUPUI's top performer in the 3,000m steeple and javelin. Additionally, he was voted to the 12-man Academic All-Summit League team by the league's faculty athletic representatives and was named among IUPUI's Top 100 students earlier in the spring.
