Humble And Grateful: Kolbe Leaves Behind A Legacy To Remember

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A German national champion, three-time NCAA All-American, UNF Female Athlete of the Year – senior middle-distance runner Smilla Kolbe will go down as one of the most illustrious athletes in North Florida history in just two years as an Osprey.

But what Kolbe is leaving behind at North Florida is something bigger than the championships she won.

Kolbe dreamed of competing on the national stage since she was 11 years old. She moved from Hanover, Germany, to the US in 2022. The UNF senior spent two seasons at Southern Mississippi before transferring to North Florida in 2024.

"My [Southern Miss] head coach knew me pretty well at that point," Kolbe said. "He said he came [to UNF] for regionals, and then he texted me and [said], 'I think this would be a perfect place for you.' I just trusted my gut."

Moving to North Florida wasn't only advantageous for Kolbe's athletic career, but her overall quality of life. Kolbe emphasized her love for the sunshine, diversity of people and the support she receives from the UNF community.

Smilla Kolbe - 2025 Feature Photo

"I think finding that environment where you can be really happy, and also [finding] people that believe in you is really important," Kolbe said. "I think finding that in a professional world is the biggest step for me to be successful in the future as well."

Although Kolbe made a decision that she would benefit from long-term, the success she had on the track at North Florida was instant. Kolbe made her UNF debut in her lone cross country appearance in 2023, earning Third Team All-ASUN honors after placing 17th overall in the 5k at the 2023 ASUN XC Championship.

As a senior, Kolbe was the top overall finisher at the 2024 Duval 5K XC Challenge. Kolbe broke her own record for the fastest 5k race in Division I history at the 2024 ASUN XC Championship (16:47.6). She also posted a top-five individual finish to earn First Team All-ASUN honors at the 2024 ASUN XC Championship.

The four-time ASUN Track Athlete of the Week has remained humble and grateful for the support she's received throughout her historic career. Moreover, many student-athletes at North Florida refer to Kolbe as the most successful track athlete in program history.

"I never really thought about that," Kolbe said. "I guess most folks might say that. That is amazing. I think I always kind of went with the flow and did not think too much about what isn't possible or what is. I have such amazing people to work with and [have] amazing teammates."

Smilla Feature Photo 2025

The German native, Kolbe, placed first overall in the 800m and followed with a runner-up finish in the 4x400m relay at the 2024 Celebration Pointe Classic. Kolbe concluded her first indoor season at North Florida earning Second Team All-ASUN honors in the 800m at the 2024 ASUN Indoor Championship.

In her first outdoor season at North Florida, Kolbe put up Osprey bests for her third-place finish in the 1500m at the 2024 Georgia Tech Invitational. Kolbe was named First Team All-ASUN in the 800m with a program and conference meet record time (2:01.63) at the 2024 ASUN Outdoor Championship.

To conclude her first outdoor season at UNF, Kolbe advanced to the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship after placing 11th and 16th in the 800m at the NCAA East First Round. Kolbe earned All-American Honorable Mention after going 17th overall in the 800m semifinals at the 2024 NCAA Track & Field Championship. That same season, Kolbe was named 2024 ASUN Indoor & Outdoor Athlete and Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

At the conclusion of North Florida's 2025 indoor and outdoor seasons, Kolbe collected 2025 UNF Female Athlete of the Year honors, was the ASUN Meet Record-Holder for the indoor and outdoor 800m and earned a 2025 NCAA First Team All-American nod for outdoor. In 2024, she set the cross country program record for fastest 5k race in D-I history. Kolbe was also a three-time All-ASUN First Team selection in the 800m, and a 2024 All-ASUN First Team honoree for cross country.

Smilla Feature Photo

"I think being open and [learning] from everyone around you is such a great thing and I think we do this pretty well in our team," Kolbe said. "No matter what it is, I feel like [I have] people that I can learn from."

Kolbe is done racing for UNF. Nevertheless, her legacy will inspire and push the next generation of Ospreys. She plans to continue competing on world stages, much like she did this fall in Tokyo at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

In retrospect, Kolbe gives an immense amount of credit for her success at North Florida to her head coach Jeff Pigg.

"I have a coach that believes in me, he knows I can do it, and so [do] many other people as well," Kolbe said. "I want to do my best so it feels like I'm just giving what I get. I'm so grateful."

Pigg has been at the helm of UNF's program since 2012, and was invaluable in guiding Kolbe to her elite status. Hundreds of student-athletes have come through Pigg's program, though the legacy Kolbe is leaving behind will certainly be hard to top.

"I can't think of anyone more dedicated in terms of just taking care of everything that you need to take care of to be the best you can be," Pigg said. "It's not an accident that she got really good and took it to the next level … I think when the lights come on, she gets better. She doesn't get scared, she gets better."

It was difficult for Pigg to pinpoint just one race that stands out from Kolbe's career. The NCAA has been a factory for turning track and field athletes into Olympians.
North Florida has never sent a track and field athlete to the Olympic Games. However, last spring, Pigg got a sneak peak of what could come for Kolbe in her post-collegiate running career. It's a memory Pigg has of Kolbe that he admitted stands above the rest.

Kolbe posted a historic 1:59.02 time in the women's 800m at the 2025 East Coast Relays. Her time broke the Visit Jax Track Facility record, was the NCAA's fastest time in the nation and was the seventh-best time in the world.

"When she came out here and [ran the] third-fastest time in NCAA history on our track by herself one afternoon at a home track meet, that was pretty [special]," Pigg said. "In the history of the NCAA, which has got tons of Olympians, she had the third-fastest time ever. That was big"

Smilla Feature Photo

When Kolbe discussed representing both UNF and Team Germany at the 2025 World University Games in her home country, she emphasized gratitude for the opportunity. In turn, Kolbe walked away a German national champion following a first-place finish in the women's 800m.

"It was always my biggest dream to represent my country," Kolbe said. "The last 200 [meters] I saw my whole family sitting there cheering, and I just gave it my all and it worked. It wasn't anything crazy. I didn't go in there with a crazy strategy. I [just] had the confidence."

Kolbe ran in her final event as an Osprey at the 2025 ASUN Cross Country Championship, breaking a program record and finishing runner-up in the women's 5k with a time of 16:23.0 at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fla.

When asked about what she wanted the North Florida community to remember about her time on campus, Kolbe wants it known that she never would've reached the heights she did without her teammates and coaches.

"I really appreciate all the support and I just love them so much," Kolbe said. "I have amazing teammates, the track team is great, [there's] so many different characteristics and the coaching staff is incredible. I've never seen something like this before. That's why I was able to be so successful, because of them."

Humble And Grateful: Kolbe Leaves Behind A Legacy To Remember

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