The Five Future Girls Stars Of The 2019 Season: No. 2


Jenna Hutchins had herself a calendar year. 

The former Texan-turned-Tennessean runner dominated in her freshman season for Science Hill High School, winning her first state cross country title and qualifying for her first Foot Locker Nationals Championship, where she proceeded to become an All-American in eighth-place. 

She's our No. 2 Future Star. 

Consistency was Hutchins' best quality, as she ran under 18 minutes six times -- out of eight races -- and never finished worse than ninth in a big-field -- she was fifth at Great American and third at Wingfoot XC. 

Crazy enough, Hutchins also fit a 10:26.87 time trial at Hoka One One Postal Nationals in November before heading out to California for Foot Locker. 

That big-time racing ultimately battle-tested Hutchins and made her stronger.

So by the time track season rolled around, she was in fine form. There was that 4:57.32 indoor mile -- where she edged Sasha Neglia at the line -- and then a 4:43.33 mile at the Music City Distance Carnival at the end of May. She also ran a 2:13.88 800m and won two state outdoor titles in the 800m and 1,600m in Tennessee. 

She left the track season with the freshman class' top times in the 1-mile and 2-mile. 

Hutchins surely won't let the past dictate her future, though. Her sights are on bigger and better in 2019. 

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Top Girls Returners In Tennessee In 2019


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Top Freshman Performances Nationally In 2018


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All-Time Tennessee Performances In XC


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Jenna Hutchin's 2018 Performance Graph



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HONORABLE MENTION: 

Each day we'll list our next athlete on the top five list, along with an accompanying honorable mention pick across our 6-10 selections. 

No. 7: Ella Borsheim, Bellarmine Prep: She's arguably the top up-and-comer out of the West region. Just look at the resume. She won six meets, including her first Washington cross country title and the competitive Border Clash pitting Washington athletes versus Oregon preps. She was third at NXR Northwest, which qualified her for NXN. About the only disappointment on the season was that national meet, though it likely will add apt motivation for the sophomore in 2019. She later went on to win a USA Track and Field Junior 4K championship in December before heading to the track season, where she posted a 2:11.09 best in the 800m, a time of 4:57.01 in the 1,600m and a best of 11:00.23 in the 3,200m. Her 800m time ranked seventh in the freshman class.