Jessica Smith

Class:
Junior
High School:
Oldham County
Hometown:
Crestwood, Ky.

2006-07: Red & Black Scholar ... Spent most of the spring racing season as the coxswain for the Cards' Varsity 4+ boat ... Led U of L's V4+ crew to a fourth-place finish in the Grand Final at the BIG EAST Championships and sixth place overall in the Petite Final at the NCAA South/Central Region Sprints ... Also led the Cards to a V4+ win over Tennessee ... Opened the spring as the coxswain in U of L's 2nd Varsity 8+ boat against Minnesota.

2005-06: Opened her collegiate rowing career as a coxswain for the Cards' Novice team ... Closed the season as the coxswain for U of L's third-place finish in the Open 4+ "B" Final at the NCAA South/Central Region Sprints ... Was the coxswain for the Cards' Novice 8+ boat at the BIG EAST Championships and the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships, and in races against Wisconsin, Tennessee and Minnesota ... Made first-ever collegiate racing appearacne as the coxswain for the Cards in the Novice 8+ "C" race at the Head of the Elk Regatta ... Red & Black Scholar.

Prior to UofL: Participated in swimming, cheerleading, track & field and Tae Kwon Do ... Did not participate in rowing prior to joining the novice team last season.

Personal: Born Jessica Rose Smith on Sept. 28, 1987 ... Daughter of Kris and Paul Smith ... She has one brother, Chris ... Majoring in exercise science ... Post-college ambition is to become a stunt person in action films ... Hobbies and outside interests include Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing, surfing and snowboarding ... She chose the University of Louisville because she wanted to stay close to home with her family and friends ... Says the best thing about the city of Louisville is the friendly atmosphere ... Believes the best thing about Cardinal rowing are her teammates and the desire to win that keeps the team strong ... After graduation, she plans to become a stuntwoman in action films ... Says her best race was the Cards' Novice 8+ win over Tennessee ... If she could tell her incoming teammates one thing, it would be that it's hard work but great fun and it makes college worth it.