Nell Smith

Laurenmaria Smith, whom everyone calls Nell, grew up in Rhode Island and received a B.A. in English literature from Wheaton College, in Norton, Mass., where she wrote press releases and team biographies for Wheaton’s athletic website. As a former collegiate track and field athlete, her passion for sports drives her interest in sports writing. She recently graduated from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism with a newspaper concentration. Her work has appeared in the Midtown Gazette and the Brooklyn Ink. Follow her on Twitter @nellsmith626.