Two giant posters hang in the Natatorium displaying LSU swimming and diving records. However, a blank white space instead of a purple name and time plate sits next to the women’s 1,650-yard freestyle on the Natatorium record board. Junior Stephanie Smith has the record but continues to break her own time. And since she has only just begun her collegiate career, there is no way to know how far she will go.
“She definitely has room to grow,” said LSU assistant coach Lars Jorgensen. “Her potential is endless.”
Yet, the records show someone who has already proven herself among the field of college swimmers. Last season in her first year of collegiate competition, she earned All-American honors. This season she has already claimed numerous titles, including a first-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle in the Nike Cup, a meet consisting of ten teams.
She broke her own pool record Feb. 1 against Kentucky, lapping the second-place finisher who touched the wall over half a minute later.
“For a distance person she has a combination of speed and endurance, which is rare, and heart and determination,” Jorgensen said.
It was not too long ago when the coaching staff did not have much faith in Smith.
Before her senior year in high school, Smith was in the pool when another swimmer jumped in and landed on her head. The doctors discovered she tore a ligament in her neck. Smith then had to forgo her senior season and first year of college competition.
“It was very hard and frustrating not being able to swim and do what I love to do,” Smith said. “A lot of people really gave up on me and doctors told me to just quit. I didn’t want to do that.”
Jorgensen believes the injury, though a difficult obstacle, has made Smith the swimmer she is today.
      “I don’t think she’d be as good of an athlete had she not had the injury,” he said. “There was a point when Stephanie and myself questioned whether she should still be in it. All the credit to her for not giving up, even though it was expected.”
Jorgensen said Smith’s greatest asset is her determination, which he feels she found overcoming her injury. Smith attributes much of her current success to Jorgensen.
“He’s been a huge help with everything,” Smith said. “He’s very supportive of my injury, and he keeps me going. He has a lot to do with it.”
Jorgensen said he tries to remind Smith of other athletes who have overcome adversities like professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, who won the Tour de France a number of times despite having cancer.
“She’s inspired a lot of people along the way to,” Jorgensen said.
After two years her injury still has not healed, but Smith said she remains focused on her goals and takes it a day at a time.
Sometimes many wins can make it difficult for an athlete to remain focused, but Smith said she is not worried about the other competitors.
“My biggest competition is the clock,” she said. “I try to swim my own races no matter what everyone else is doing.”
It is not often that an athlete can make breaking her own records a goal, but Smith can. However, her goals go beyond that. She also hopes to finish in the top eight in the NCAAs and ultimately win an event at nationals. Jorgensen has even greater expectations for Smith.
“I think she’s got a shot at the Olympics,” he said.
For now Smith continues to train every day and work through her injury while trying to step up her swimming to a new level.
“It’s really an amazing story,” Jorgensen said. “She hasn’t competed in two years. She wasn’t a top recruit in high school then basically didn’t do anything in two years and is now one of the top 10 long distance swimmers in the country.”
Smith returns to action when the swimming and diving teams travel to Auburn, Ala., Feb. 19-22, for the Southeastern Conference Championships.