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`At this point in senior Priscilla Jennings’ career, success is commonplace. Meet after meet, achievement after achievement, her coaches and teammates have come to expect the best from Jennings.
On Saturday, Jennings earned All-American honors for the second-straight year in the women’s one-mile run at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in Houston, Texas. She finished fifth with a time of 4:57.95 in the event.
Most athletes would be satisfied with these results, but not Jennings.
“Honestly, we both were a little disappointed as she finished 5th last year and her training and racing had been stronger this year,” coach Andy Young said. “I think she was capable of being in the top three so now we will just have to get it done during the outdoor season.”
For Jennings, her success comes from many sources. She has plenty of natural ability, but a lot of her achievements can be attributed to her work ethic.
“She trains fast and hard in all of her workouts,” Young said. “The race times just naturally fit with those workouts.”
Young also feels that there are other athletes on Millersville’s track team with enough talent to rise to Jennings’ level, but they have not put together all of the things that make her who she is. She is a competitor in every sense of the world.
“She is the total package of athleticism, work ethic, and mental toughness,” Young said. You don’t get three out of three in most athletes. That is what sets her apart from some of her teammates and competitors.”
With the indoor track season out of the way, Jennings and the rest of the track team now move forward to the outdoor track season. Young still thinks there is room for improvement for Jennings. She will run in the 800, 1500, and 5000 meters. If she beats her personal bests times, she will also improve on the school records that she already holds.
“I think she will also hit the automatic qualifying times for the NCAA meet this outdoor season in all those events,” Young said.
However, there is also the possibility that Jennings could redshirt in order to gain another year of eligibility.
“I think with one more year she could be an NCAA Champion as well as have a future in running after college,” Young said.
If Jennings were to keep improving, the possibilities of what she could still accomplish are scary. Her competition might want to lookout.