WAILEA, Hawaii - DeMaurice Smith, a 1985 graduate of Cedarville College and a former NCCAA champion sprinter on the track for the Yellow Jackets, has been elected the new executive director of the NFL Players Association.

(AP story) Smith's ties to presidential power and business experts trumped football experience, leading the Washington D.C.-based attorney to become the NFL Players Association's new executive director.

With two former union presidents and a high-profile sports attorney also as finalists, NFLPA player representatives instead went with an outsider in electing Smith on Sunday. He succeeds the late Gene Upshaw and guides the players into a critical era that includes negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in the shadow of an economic meltdown.

"Guys, let's get to work," Smith told the membership.

Smith, 45, was elected on the first ballot by the 32 player representatives - one for each NFL team - and was introduced to a standing ovation.

"We're behind our new leader, and we're ready to forge forward with a united front," St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Adam Goldberg said. "Mr. Smith is our best option of leading us into the future, and we're proud to be a part of it."

Smith becomes the fourth leader in the union's 41-year history. He has the opportunity to chart a new direction for a union that proved both successful and divisive - particularly involving the needs of retired players - under Upshaw, who died in August after a 25-year tenure. [READ FULL STORY]

[Read DeMaurice Smith's bio from Patton Boggs]