Meridian Community College’s Kendrick Smith takes his mark as he get set to run.

Kendrick Smith had just notched a third-place finish in the 60-meter dash at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships as he walked towards the starting blocks to get set for the 200-meter dash.

The Meridian Community College track standout, brimming with confidence, turned to his peers and smiled.

“He told me, ‘I’m going to go out and win this thing,'” MCC coach Chip Gayden recalled.

Smith delivered on his promise.

The freshman uncoiled his 6-foot-2 frame, exploding his way out of the starting blocks and outracing the fastest athletes the junior college ranks has to offer, on his way to a time of 21.11 and a national championship last week.

“I had never won a big meet like that before,” Smith said. “I knew I was going to win. I was surprised at my 60 time (6.62), and that kind of gave me the confidence that I needed, and I feel I could have run even faster (in the 200).”

Upon receiving his first-place medal, Smith, with pleasure, gave the medal to his mother, LaTonya Stovall.  

“I was really trying to win for my mom,” Smith said. “I wanted to make her proud; she doesn’t make a lot of track meets. She was about to cry, and she was so proud and gave me a kiss.”

Smith entered the heat ranked No. 12 in the country, but proved his worth notching top times in the finals and in the preliminaries.

“He’s the type of kid that comes in every day and does what he is supposed to do, whether it’s in practice or in the classroom,” Gayden said.  “He’s always trying to make himself a better student and a better athlete.

“I’ll say (Smith’s) win kind of came as a little bit of a surprise. Going in, I was confident. Training wise, I thought he was in pretty good shape, and I felt really good after the prelims. I felt he could either win it or be in the top three.”

Meridian, in its first year back in competition since the 2001-2002 campaign, managed to claim a 13th-place finish overall at the meet — due in large part to Smith’s championship run and teammate Chris Lewis’ second-place 6.61 time in the 60.

“When you bring in guys like that, it sets your standards a little higher for the kids you’re going to recruit,” Gayden said. “It’s easy to sell to other guys who may be the same quality (of athlete), because you can say, ‘Hey, you’ll have guys that you get to practice with every day, that are your caliber and can go compete anywhere in the world.’ It helps from a recruiting aspect tremendously.”

A basketball standout in high school in Decatur, Ala., Smith is just in the midst of his third competitive season running track.

“The sky is the limit for him,” Gayden said. “He can do pretty much anything he wants to do.”

Smith will have his pick of which college he chooses to attend next, as a number of top Div. I programs across the country are seeking his talents.

“Texas A&M, Kansas, LSU and Alabama have all offered,” Gayden said. “He’ll have his choice on where he wants to go to school, and he’s really laid the foundation for that.”

Added Smith, “That’s a blessing from God. Coming out of high school, I was really thinking I was just going to go to Division II (in basketball).”

With the indoor portion of the season behind them, Gayden and Smith said they are eagerly looking forward to what its in store in the outdoor campaign, starting this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“This is going to motivate me to keep winning and not lose my focus,” Smith said. “And I really want to help my team in the 4×100 relay. We really should win nationals in the 4×100. Chris should be in the top two in the 100, and I should be No. 1 in the 200.”