When she got a call from a former University of Pittsburgh teammate on April 1 saying that the institution was trying to contact her, Trecia-Kaye Smith laughed it off as she thought it was an April Fool’s joke.

It did not take long, however, for the seven-time NCAA champion for the news to sink in that she had been nominated as part of the 2024 class of the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Collegiate Track and Field/Cross Country Athletes Hall of Fame.

The former Manning’s School standout joins another athlete with western Jamaican roots, Merlene Ottey, who started her career at Rusea’s High, as the only Jamaicans to receive the honour.

“A former teammate of mine, Najuma Fletcher-Shields, sent me a text saying someone from Pitt was trying to get a hold of me,” she told the Jamaica Observer. “Honestly, I was surprised and thought I was being pranked on April 1. I actually told them I thought this was a prank! Overall, this was a wonderful honour that I was blessed with long after I hung up my spikes.”

Smith, who won the women’s triple jump at the 2005 World Championships and still holds both national records — 15.16m outdoors set in 2004, and indoors 14.84m set in 2006 — is part of a class of 14 athletes and will be enshrined on Sunday, June 2, at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon.

A citation on the USTFCCCA website described Smith as “a versatile and dominant force in both the long jump and triple jump during her time at Pittsburgh. With a remarkable tally of scoring 15 times across both events at the NCAA Championships, Smith’s athletic prowess was evident, capturing seven titles and securing five runner-up finishes.

“Her exceptional performances in the long jump contributed significantly to her collection of NCAA titles, tying her for the most ever won by a woman in the event at the collegiate level,” adding that her NCAA outdoor record 14.22m stood for 14 years, “a testament to her extraordinary talent and the high bar she set for future generations.”

Ottey, who starred at the University of Nebraska after one season at Vere Technical, was part of the inaugural class in 2022.

Smith feels honoured to receive an accolade like Ottey’s.

“I am in some exalted company; it’s a privilege to be the second Jamaican with this honour behind one of my track role models,” she said. “I always take pride representing Jamaica and this award is just icing on the cake for my years of hard work. It is always nice to have your hard work validated by your peers and to be publicly recognised.”

Smith, who enjoyed an award- and medal-filled career at ‘Pitt’, said there were many outstanding moments, but she chose a team effort that stood out for her.

“The one [memory] that brings me most pleasure was indoor season my sophomore year [1998], where Pitt earned second place in the team championships with just two athletes — myself and Chantee Earl,” she said. “I did the long, triple and shot put, winning the first two and placing in the top eight for the rest. Chantee finished second or third in the 800m, gaining us over 20 points for second behind LSU (Louisiana State University). That remains a highlight of my career. Not the winning of the events, but earning national honours with just two athletes!”