Ardrey Kell’s Murphy Smith named Gatorade N.C. runner of the year
Ardrey Kell High School’s Murphy Smith has been named the N.C. Gatorade boys cross-country runner of the year.
The award honors outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.
Murphy, a 5-foot-11, 145-pound senior, won the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A this season, finishing in a time of 15 minutes, 44.65 seconds. He led the Knights to a third place finish.
Smith is a two-time all-state selection and was the top N.C. finisher at the RunningLane National Cross-Country championships, where he ran a personal best 15:07.98 and finished 47th. Smith, who will run at Navy in the fall, has a 4.43 weighted GPA.
Smith is a member of his school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, and he has volunteered on behalf of the Ardrey Kell student service club Knights in Action. He has performed nearly 100 hours of community service for causes such as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, the Carolina Thread Trail, the Pineville Neighbors Place, Hands on Charlotte and the Isabella Santos Foundation.
He has also donated his time to Promising Pages, Ballantyne Elementary School, Classroom Central, the Polo Ridge PTA, the Running Works program for the homeless and the United Way, in addition to serving as a youth track meet official and as a peer tutor.
“I can’t think of a better candidate for Gatorade Player of the Year,” said Providence High School head coach Steve Touranjoe. “I’ve had the opportunity to watch Murphy compete for four years. He has a work ethic like no other and his dedication and commitment to running exceeds anyone’s expectations. He’s grown a great deal as a runner and as a person. I also admire his enthusiasm to inspire and lead his teammates, especially during these unprecedented times.”
