May 5, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss announced Monday the addition of Kyle Smith (Daphne, Ala.) to the track and field program, who has signed a national letter of intent to compete for the Golden Eagles for the 2008-09 academic year.

Smith, at 6-foot-2, 190 lbs., competes in the javelin where he currently attends Daphne High School and throws for coach Milton Sutton.

This season he has placed first in all eight meets that he has competed and is the meet record holder for his event at the St. Paul's Relays, Southeastern Relays, Lyon Optimist Relays, Baldwin County Track Championship and the Alabama High School Athletic Association 6A section event.

Smith also became the Alabama state record holder in the javelin with a throw of 223-8. That throw qualified him for the USA Junior National Meet, slated for June 20 in Columbus, Ohio, at The Ohio State University.

"I am very excited to have Kyle Smith join the Southern Miss Track and Field Family," said Southern Miss coach Kevin Stephen. "He will continue a long javelin legacy which included people like Conrad Chanove, Jeb Meschke and Hana Prudilova. By obliterating the old Alabama State Record in the javelin, he established himself as the nation's top junior thrower. I am equally excited about Kyle's excellence in the classroom and his tremendous character. I look forward to him wearing Black and Gold."

In the classroom, Smith possesses a 3.5 grade point average. He is the son of Pete and Cheryl Smith.