Lake Bluff Teen Will Represent Illinois School At National Track Meet

LAKE BLUFF, IL — A Lake Bluff teen is set to represent an Illinois High School at a national track meet in Los Angeles, but his many accomplishments almost never happened.

When Brian E. Smith II enrolled at private high school North Shore Country Day as a freshman, he was a baseball player. However, due to the school's fall sports requirement for ninth graders, he decided to give cross country running a try.

"Fast-forward four years and Brian now holds multiple school records, a state runner-up title, and has gone from unknown to elite on the national scene," a spokesperson from North Shore Country Day said.

In his time running, now in his senior year at NSCD, Smith has racked up many awards including:

• Indoor 400-meter state champion (2024 and 2025 Illinois Top Times meet)
• 2024 IHSA 1A state runner-up in the outdoor 400
• Broke a 20-year-old ISL conference record in the 400
• Eighth in the nation at 400 at the Adidas Indoor Nationals (March 2025)
• 1A Indoor state meet record holder for 400 (March 2025)

This year, Smith decided he would focus solely on track, opening his outdoor season by setting personal bests in the 200-meter race and clocking the second-fastest time for the 400-meter race in Illinois. This upcoming weekend, he'll go up against the fastest runners in the country at the Arcadia Invitational.

"Brian’s story is one of talent, determination and unexpected transformation — from a student-athlete just trying out cross country to a nationally ranked sprinter representing Illinois on one of the biggest stages in high school track," officials said.