Junior Swimmer Attempts to Outpace Teammates, Coach

"She's definitely looking to do some big things and I have some big goals for her," Tramel said. "My personal best time is one of them."

Smith originally planned to set her goal around the team best of 16 minutes, 17 seconds. Her plans changed when one day early this season she came back to her locker and found 16:17 replaced with another number: 16:15, Tramel's personal best time.

But two years ago, she wasn't ready to compete at this level. Smith has come a long way since entering North Carolina as a struggling freshman to becoming the top women's distance swimmer for the No. 15 Tar Heels.

"Whitney has improved tremendously," said UNC coach Frank Comfort. "In the middle of her sophomore year she really started to figure out college swimming and a year and a half of hard work really came through for us superbly at the end of last season."

This weekend, at a meet against No. 16 Michigan, Smith not only won the 1,000-yard freestyle by 12 seconds and helped the relay team win the 800 freestyle and came in second to teammate Becky Acker by only .09 seconds, but also set a career best in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:53.21.

That performance was enough to boost her lead by several points in Tramel's new success points system.

The system pairs each distance swimmer with another and makes each swimmer responsible for their partner.

If one partner misses practice without an excuse, both lose a point. If one is late for practice, he or she lose a point.

Swimmers gain points by having a season best time, a game best time or a career best time at a meet.

"It's a fun little game to keep them motivated," said Tramel. "It motivates them to excel and attain goals they may not have felt they were able to."

Going into the weekend, Smith was leading the points race by five and with her performance she is likely to retain that lead.

Smith's success has established her as a team leader and she has taken on that mantle by bringing her positive attitude to the whole team.

"She's the hardest worker I know," said roommate and fellow distance swimmer Amanda Kline. "She keeps everyone else motivated. She has a strong passion for swimming, and you can tell it every day in workouts and meets."

Smith will be taking that passion with her to her first taste of international competition at the World Cup Series, a two-day swim competition held in China during Thanksgiving break.

Smith was chosen for times she posted this summer to compete along with a group of other elite swimmers who will represent America.

"I've definitely never been out of the country for swimming," Smith said. "I've never raced on the international level. It's very exciting for me."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.