Kmecz Commits to Dartmouth College for Cross Country and Track
A standout St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) multi-sport athlete and student leader, Matthew Kmecz ’25, has chosen Dartmouth College (NCAA Division I) in Hanover, New Hampshire, to continue his journey this fall.
“I chose Dartmouth since I felt it provided me with the opportunity to pursue my academic and athletic interests at the highest level,” says Kmecz. “Dartmouth has a long tradition of academic excellence, and their cross country and track and field programmes have developed great athletes. I also felt it had a very similar atmosphere to St. Mike’s — a strong community, tradition, and pursuit of excellence.”
Kmecz, who has committed to the ‘Big Green’ for both cross country and track and field, was also drawn to the Ivy League school’s Liberal Arts education.
“Dartmouth is a Liberal Arts school and provides the opportunity for all students to take general classes for the first two years before specializing in a major by the third year,” notes Kmecz. “This was something I was drawn to, as I have not entirely decided on what I want to pursue. However, I would definitely like to explore their economics programme and their social sciences, as they are regarded as some of the best programmes in the country.”
From an athletic standpoint, the team culture, history, and recent hiring of coach Ben True all played a significant role in his decision. Dartmouth alumnus and former World Championship competitor, Ben True was recently named head coach, which was a major draw.
“Having the chance to learn from someone with Coach True’s experience — and someone who’s also been through the Dartmouth student-athlete experience — is rare,” says Kmecz. “During my visit, I got to run with the team on some incredible trails along the New Hampshire-Vermont border, and I just fell in love with the place.”
Kmecz expects to compete in cross country in the fall and race on the track team in the winter and spring, focusing on the 1,500-metre and 5,000-metre events, while staying open to where he can make the biggest impact.
Interestingly, his path to competitive running began only a few years ago, after he started his SMCS athletic career on the soccer pitch in Grade 9 in a year disrupted by COVID-19.
“In Grade 10, I was determined to continue playing soccer instead of running cross country. Thankfully, Mr. Fitzpatrick felt that I could excel at running and encouraged me to come to one race to see how I fared — I won. From that moment, the St. Mike’s coaches heavily suggested I continue running, and thankfully, I did.”
“When I heard about Matthew’s athleticism in Grade 9 from his physical education teachers and soccer coaches, I was keen to have him come out to run with the team,” says Paul Fitzpatrick ’95, History Department Head and head coach of the SMCS Varsity Cross Country Team. “It was clear from the outset that Matthew had both the character and athleticism necessary to train and compete at a high level for our distinguished Varsity Cross Country Programme.”
Fitpatrick adds, “It has been a pleasure to train and push Matthew athletically, watch him grow as a person and athlete, and cheer him on in all of his pursuits. I am delighted that he will join a long list of accomplished St. Michael’s runners who have gone on to compete at the NCAA Level.”
Off the track, Kmecz is just as involved. He served as Student Government President, a head leader in the Outdoor Education Programme, and participated in various intramural sports in addition to his competitive athletics schedule.
However, Kmecz still had other interests beyond soccer and his newfound passion for cross country. In the second half of that year, he captained the Junior Hockey Team and also competed for the track team.
“After Grade 10, I began to realize that running was what I should pursue,” says Kmecz. “In Grade 11, I made significant progress, placing higher in both provincial and U.S. competitions, and a strong cross-country season laid the foundation for a standout track season, which boosted my recruitment prospects.”
By Grade 12, the honour roll student focused exclusively on running, achieving success at cross-country meets provincially and nationally.
To date, Kmecz has compiled an impressive season, including top-three finishes in cross country at OFSAA (2nd), the McQuaid Invitational, and at the U18 Canadian Cross Country Nationals. This is in addition to the five CISAA track and field and two CISAA cross country titles he has earned over the last four years.
“None of this would have been possible without the support of my coaches at SMCS—they quite literally picked me off the soccer field and found my talent,” says Kmecz. “They encouraged me to continue to push myself and develop, and they were instrumental in my development as both an athlete and as a person. I believe that St. Mike’s has provided me with the tools to grow as both a person and an athlete, and has equipped me with what I need to be successful on the track and in life.”
Kmecz also credits SMCS alumnus Justyn Knight ’14 — an NCAA champion, professional Canadian runner, and Olympian — as a significant inspiration.
“Justyn’s success speaks for itself, but what’s meant the most to me is that he’s reached out personally to offer encouragement and advice,” says Kmecz. “He’s someone I look up to and aspire to follow — both in running and in character.”
As he prepares for the next stage of his academic and athletic journey, Kmecz carries with him the foundation and values he built at St. Michael’s.
“Without the support I received at St. Mike’s, none of my success both on and off the track would have been possible.”
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