2021 Moments of the Year
To finish off 2021, we're going to countdown the MileSplit TN Top 10 Moments of the Year. Each day one 'moment' will be posted in the morning and one in the afternoon so check back as they get posted. As you'll see throughout the countdown, last year was filled with incredible drama, can't miss racing, and record breaking history. Enjoy.
#7 Jenna Hutchins Commits to BYU
On Saturday April 3rd, 2021, Jenna Hutchins ran a 2:13.65 800m at the Tri-Cities Classic. It was a new PR in the event for the junior who up to this point in the season had PR'd in the other two distance events with a 4:44.13 1600m at Matt Newton and a 9:52.33 3200m at Dash for Doobie. It goes without saying these were all TN #1 times.
After a few weather delays, Jenna Hutchins bettered the field by 15 seconds on her way to victory in 3200m at Dash for Doobie.
Little did we know at the time these would be the final races Hutchins would add to her high school running resume but it wouldn't be the final time she made news. Just two days later on April 5th she posted this to her Instagram.
MileSplit National followed up that announcement with an article you can read here: BYU Lands The Committment OF Science Hill's Jenna Hutchins
Here's part of it:
A little has changed since that article was published. Hutchins will no longer spend the spring and summer of this year in Jacksonville but will instead enroll early at BYU. According to her dad's Instagram story from yesterday (@rlhvols), I believe she will be in the process of traveling to Provo when this article is published which was entirely coincidental. But with that said, I can't wait to see what she does at the collegiate level. I'll end by repeating something I wrote in May of this year:- Cory MullBecause on Monday, the Cougars received yet another great spell of news as Jenna Hutchins, the No. 1 girls distance runner in the Class of 2022 -- and MileSplit's No. 4 ranked prospect overall -- committed to the program after a long process that included unofficial visits to a handful of schools.
"I've been pretty confident in my decision for a pretty long time now," Hutchins told MileSplit on Monday. " I knew in December that BYU was where I wanted to end up. I developed a special relationship with Coach Taylor from early on in the recruiting process. She seemed to offer me what other people couldn't. I was impressed with the team culture, but also, importantly, it was how she treated her athletes with the utmost respect and that she did everything she could to give them the best college experience possible."
There's a quote that comes to mind when thinking about the effect Hutchins and runners of her caliber have had on the state this last decade:
"A rising tide raises all boats."
Kathy Kroeger set the bar and every runner since, Story, Neglia, and Hutchins have just continued raising it. Would we have the Arringtons, Cheesemans, Walters, Guillmondeguis, Vanderkolks, and so many other runners remaining to carry the torch into the future at the level at which they have and will without the likes of a Jenna? I err on the side of doubtful.
Previous Moments in the Countdown:
