Positive Momentum

October 2025

From high school phenom to NCAA champion, Jenna Hutchins has done it all.

Jenna Hutchins was the first US high school girl to break 16 minutes for 5,000 meters in cross country, and then she later set the American record for the 5,000 meters on the track for athletes under age 20. By that point, she’d already won Tennessee state titles in cross country (twice), the 1600 meters, and the 800 meters.

And then Hutchins, who is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, surprised the track and field world by committing to run for BYU.

“Even though I’m not a member, I loved how BYU holds students to high standards,” she says. “I loved talking to Coach [Diljeet] Taylor, and I loved what she was saying about the team and the program. And when I was growing up, a lot of my best friends were members of the Church. After I took my visit, there wasn’t anywhere else I was interested in. I love it here.”

She graduated early and moved from Johnson City, Tennessee, to Provo, Utah. BYU, it turned out, was everything she hoped for and more. But that didn’t mean the transition was easy. Where she used to dominate high school races, she was now up against some of the fastest women in the country. And on top of that, she dealt with a handful of disruptive injuries.

“A lot of athletes who are nationally relevant in high school are never heard from again because that transition from high school to college can be so hard,” she says. “I never wanted that to be me. I have so much passion for the sport, so I surround myself with good people who bring positive energy and momentum, and that’s how I’ve been able to come out stronger.”

In her sophomore year (2024) she became a second team All-American in the indoor 5,000 meters and reached third and second all-time marks for BYU in the 5,000 and the 10,000. But then an ill-timed injury kept her off BYU’s national championship cross country team in the fall of 2024.

“There are always ebbs and flows in the sport,” she says. “Even though I had that injury and wasn’t able to finish cross country season, it was a wake-up call that really helped me going into 2025. I give credit to God for leading and guiding me through those things.”

Just a few months later, she won an NCAA national championship running the 1,200-meter leg on BYU’s indoor distance medley relay team. Then this past spring she set a BYU record in the 10,000 meters and finished 11th in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA championships.

“A lot of people give up when it gets really hard,” she says. “I never gave up. I kept pushing forward no matter what and taking those steps that lead to success.”

Hutchins has another semester to go, and after that she could have a future running professionally or she might pursue a graduate degree in audiology to continue her studies in communication disorders. But regardless, she knows she’ll look back with gratitude for her BYU experience.

“We’re so incredibly grateful to the donors who’ve contributed to our team,” she says. “We’ve had so many new experiences that have helped us grow as people and bond as a team, and we have memories that we’ll remember forever. Someday, when I’m in a position to give back, I hope I can do the same.”