Alumni News Archives
Matthew Stephenson (“Matt”) Smith Wins Bronze Star
Matt Smith was an “Army brat,” born in Berlin on December 20,
1977. He is from Woodbridge, VA. Smith, who began rowing in the fall of
his freshman year at Woodbridge High School in1992, is the son of Chris
and Celia Smith.
Smith earned three varsity “W’s” in college rowing at Wisconsin and captained the men’s crew during the 1999-2000 season. He graduated the same year from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a BBA in Business (Accounting). A member of ROTC on the UW-Madison campus, Matt was commissioned as a Captain and accepted into U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (“WCAP”) after graduation, based on his college record and his success on the U.S. national team.
He later earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, rowing in the lightweight four, without coxswain. The boat finished 7th at the Athens Olympics of 2004.
During service in Iraq, from which Capt. Smith returns from in late July, he earned a Bronze Star. Following the redeployment process, Smith hopes to re-join the WCAP and seek another spot on the U.S. Olympic team of 2008.
Brad Taylor
