蘑菇短视频

A new endowment established by a competitive racewalker from Whittier is designed to help the 蘑菇短视频 track and field and cross country programs overcome hurdles, with a campaign for matching gifts in the starting blocks to help push the effort across the finish line.

Created through a $100,000 commitment from retired physical therapist Andrew Smith and wife LouAnn, the endowment will result in financial support for WCU鈥檚 cross country and track and field programs.

The specific purpose of the Andrew 鈥淎ndy鈥� L. and LouAnn M. Smith Track and Field Support Endowment is to provide additional funding for coaching for six Catamount athletics programs 鈥� men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 indoor track and field, men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 outdoor track and field, and men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 cross country 鈥� including salaries, bonuses, supplements and temporary positions.

Initial plans call for the Smiths鈥� contribution to be used to fund an additional coaching position for the track and field and cross country teams. Currently, 蘑菇短视频has one head coach and two assistant coaches who are responsible for recruiting, retaining, coaching and mentoring the approximately 90 student-athletes who make up the six track and field and cross country teams, said Kyle Pifer, 蘑菇短视频director of athletics.

鈥淚 am very grateful for the Smiths鈥� support of these programs. While we won an outdoor Southern Conference championship in the spring of 2026, an additional coaching position for the track and field program will move our program forward in competing within the Southern Conference,鈥� Pifer said.

鈥淎dding a coach will enhance the student-athlete experience and elevate our ability to develop their performance. The Smiths understand what it takes to win championships. This type of gift will have a great impact on the future of track and field,鈥� he said.

Retired chief of physical therapy at Cherokee Indian Hospital and a member of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, earning the rank of captain, Smith discovered 蘑菇短视频and its track and field programs while preparing for one of his many racewalk competitions.

鈥淚n 2009, I was training for the world championships in Italy and would come to the track in Cullowhee to do my workouts. It was then that I met (former) Coach Danny Williamson. He allowed me to do my workouts between his athletes doing theirs,鈥� he said.

鈥淚n 2012, I started to volunteer with the meets held at Western. As the years went by, I continued to help with the meets doing various jobs. In 2014, I took off from my thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail to work the Catamount Classic meet. I continued to do my workouts at the track, getting to know many of the athletes. And in the fall, I assisted with the cross country meets that 蘑菇短视频hosted,鈥� said Smith, an alumnus of Boston University.

In addition to his contributions of his time as a volunteer, Smith also began making financial donations to the 蘑菇短视频programs, initially helping with the purchase of new warm-up clothes.

鈥淥ver the years, I have supported to help obtain equipment and training aides, as well as other needs to have a successful program,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter many conversations with (current) Coach Jesse Norman on what the program needed, his top priority was additional coaching staff. With further discussions, it was felt that the best way would be to establish this endowment to build the fund.鈥�

Norman, a former Catamount cross country runner and assistant coach under Danny Williamson, has been leading the programs since 2019, returning to Cullowhee after serving as head coach at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited with the Smiths鈥� continued support of the track and field program here at WCU,鈥� he said. 鈥淭heir gift represents an investment in the long-term excellence of our student-athletes. By helping to establish this endowment, this gift strengthens the foundation of our program and ensures that every athlete has the guidance, mentorship and expertise needed to reach their full potential as a Catamount for years to come."

The university will be seeking matching contributions to increase the endowment and expand its impact on the track and field and cross country programs, something that Smith says he welcomes.

鈥淚 have seen the dedication of the coaches to mentor the athletes to achieve their best performance. It has been amazing the success that Western has had in the past. But with the limited staff, it is difficult to compete against the other teams. Some of the other Southern Conference teams have larger staffs, which leads to their success in those events,鈥� he said.

鈥淐oaching has become more challenging. With the way recruiting is taking up more time, dealing with athletes in the portal wanting to transfer as well as recruiting high school athletes, time is spent on this activity, which is taking away time to coach and mentor our athletes,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 hope that having this endowment can support additional staff to return to the winning championships as well as freeing up the present staff to concentrate on their specialties.鈥�

Smith competes independently in USA Race Walking events. In March 2025, he won the 1,500-meter race walk for men ages 75 to 94 with a time of 9:51:42. He has competed in several national USA Track and Field and international World Masters championships, winning indoor 1,500-meter and 3-kilomter race walk events and outdoor 5-K and 10-K events.

Smith also was on the U.S. team that placed first in the 20-K event and third in the 10-K race in 2016 at the World Masters championships in Perth, Australia. After helping at the 蘑菇短视频and Southern Conference meets, he became a USATF-certified track official in 2018 and has officiated at local collegiate meets. 

A graduate of Bentley University, LouAnn is the former owner of the Village Studio in Dillsboro. She and her husband have lived in Whittier since 1993.

Announcement of the Andrew 鈥淎ndy鈥� L. and LouAnn M. Smith Track and Field Support Endowment comes as the fall cross country season is well underway, with the Southern Conference Championship meet set for Oct. 31. The indoor track and field season for both the men鈥檚 and the women鈥檚 programs will begin in early December, with the outdoor season to follow in March.

鈥淗elp support the greatest needs of the track and field and cross country programs program and the necessary coaching position by making your gift today,鈥� said Brittany Kicklighter, interim associate athletics director for development. 鈥淎ll gifts will be matched by Andy and LouAnn Smith up to a total of $100,000 through June 30, 2027.鈥�

To make a contribution to add to the coaching endowment for WCU鈥檚 track and field and cross country programs, visit .