Zaila Smith '24 Recruiting Profile

At age 8, I was an Ethiopian water carrier living in a remote village surrounded by beautiful, rugged mountains. Every day, I was responsible for walking many miles through dangerous terrain to retrieve lake water for my village.  I was also in charge of cooking and caring for many little ones. Due to these responsibilities, I couldn't attend school. By age 9, I was sent to an orphanage far from my home and told I might be adopted and sent to America. This prospect was both exciting and terrifying! I didn't speak a word of English and had never even seen a white person, but at age 12 I was chosen by a family in Austin, Texas, and adopted. I learned to be an American, a fifth grader, an English speaker, and a daughter all at once. Our large family didn't share the same language, culture, or background, but we had one thing in common: running! Being an Ethiopian raised at elevation, I was a natural. As we ran together, we became a true family, and I loved every minute of it. I joined a club track team in Austin, and progressed to running varsity cross country and track in middle and high school. During 2020, we moved to the mountains of Buena Vista, Colorado, and I began running with tiny Buena Vista High School, at an elevation of 8,000 ft. I quickly fell in love with the charming town and my new team felt like family. I worked hard to become a team leader and great encourager, and was the 2A state champion that year! I focused on working my hardest each and every day with my goals always in mind: to run competitively in university and to study to become a successful doctor. In 2022, I was offered a full scholarship to a fantastic D1 school outside Nashville - Middle Tennessee State University. I've enjoyed 2 years there and am now looking to transfer to a university that provides a smaller learning community and a family-oriented, competitive, and encouraging team. I'm committed to working hard to become the very best version of myself and to exercise the self-discipline, hard work and optimism it took to get me this far. I am thrilled for the opportunity to pursue a new adventure, exercise my natural leadership skills, and encourage my teammates to be our very best!