College Spotlight: Gearing off and running to start 2019

Jenna Gearing is out to record her best season yet at Clemson University. The White County product (class of 2016) opens her redshirt-junior season in cross country with aspirations to reach a new level.

Dissecting Gearing’s career at the college level means breaking it down to between cross country and track & field, as the long distance specialist has found success in both arenas.

CROSS COUNTRY

How many high school athletes can claim they won four region titles in cross country? Not many. Jenna Gearing is one such gem, winning two each in Class 3A and 4A. She also won the state title as a freshman and sophomore at White County, and was on her way to a third state title her senior year before breaking her leg just before the finish with a sizeable lead.

Since arriving at Clemson, Gearing has raced in 14 events according to Clemson’s website. Most recently, she finished 4th at the Carolina Challenge on August 31 to open the 2019 season, followed by a 19th place finish (22:38) on September 20 at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational. Her 18:37 at the Carolina Challenge was her 5th best time in a 5K. Her PR in that distance is 18:15, set last year at the Joe Piane – Notre Dame Invitational. However, her 4th place finish the recent meet was her highest placement since going to Clemson. She has posted 3 top-10 finishes in her career.

In 6K events, Gearing’s best time is 21:28, set during her freshman season at the ACC Championships, where she finished 55th overall. After missing all of 2017, she came back in 2018 and finished 80th in the conference meet.

TRACK & FIELD

OUTDOOR

In outdoor track & field, Gearing last raced in the ACC Championships in the 800 meter back in May 2019, finishing with a PR of 2:19 and placing 25th to finish off her sophomore season. The year prior, her 5000 indoor time at the ACC Championships of 19:01 was also a PR and good for 32nd place. Her outdoor 2018 season was solid, as she PR’d in the 5000, 1500, and 3000 all within a month’s span. Her outdoor career has seen her tally two top-10 finishes, and 6 top-25s.

INDOOR

Indoors, Gearing’s career saw a fantastic spring 2019, where she PR’d in the 800 at 2:15, good for 20th at the ACC Championships, as well as her PR for one mile (5:10), and 3000 (10:30). In the indoor arena, she’s placed in the top 25 in 7 of 8 meets.

Gearing had a stellar high school career, capturing five (really six) state championships between cross county and track & field, also taking 12 region titles (4 in CC; 8 in T&F). She is in the BLITZ Hall of Fame as cross country and track & field, and was a 6-time Runner/Athlete of the Year and 5-time Player of the Week award winner.