Inseparable: The Smith Twins' Spartan Reign Runs Deep

Aden and Josh Smith are identical twins from Alpena, Mich. and are mere images of each other on the Michigan State Men's Track and Field and Cross Country teams.

With similar body types and similar running capabilities, the twins' bonds and similarities go beyond the track.

"We're similar [with running times] – it's very close," said Aden. "We've both gone through periods where one of us is doing better than the other, but for the most part it's kind of evened out."

Similar is an understatement. In the 1,500 meters, Josh bests Aden by only 1.01 seconds when comparing their collegiate bests.

Smith Twins - Aden Smith, Josh Smith

These facts do not just disappear when the two go back home, to their shared place. In fact, the twin connection also leads to the ultimate rival.

"There's some trash talk, for sure," said Aden. "But I feel like it's a lot more playful. It was a lot more competitive in high school. Now it's just like we're working together now that we're in college. We're both just trying to run well."

In high school, Aden and Josh were not dead set on going to the same college. They had an idea where they'd end up, but going through recruitment brought a lot of the same steps.

"It was always kind of up in the air," said Josh. "We visited the same colleges, then we were both looking at the same schools. After that, one of us was looking at one school versus another, but then we both decided to go to MSU in the end."

Even during recruitment, the twins wanted to go through the process together.

"We visited all our schools together and went on all of our visits together and talked to the coaches at similar times – stuff like that," said Aden. "But even with that we still split up and would do our thing, but it was a very similar time frame. The coaches weren't just trying to get us both – if they didn't get one of us it wasn't the end of the world, MSU just wanted to get us both."

Now having completed their fifth years at MSU, Aden and Josh have to push each other even more. Luckily there is no other person who could relate to them more than the other version of themselves.

"It's a huge support system," said Josh. "We talk about things all the time, every day, do all the same stuff. So yeah, we know everything about each other."

Aden and Josh both received Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors in 2021 and 2023. They said being there for each other off the track as well is such a valuable tool to have at their disposal.

There are no cliché twin stories to speak of, but people around them notice the telepathy that the twins claim they don't have.

"I'd say on a daily basis we say the same stuff a lot," said Josh. "I want to say some people think it's creepy or they think it's kind of cool. You'll just run with the bill."

"We're just around each other so much that we think very similarly," said Aden. "We'll say the same thing or do the same thing, but nothing crazy."

On the track and cross country course this season, especially when the pair are inseparable by their racing splits, the best way to tell them apart is that Josh has a mustache while Aden is either clean-shaven or rocking a full beard.

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