EUGENE, Ore. — Sophomore Shelby Jensen earned first-team All-American honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.
“She had an incredible performance,” said Artie Gulden, USU’s director of track & field and cross country. “One of the things as a coach that I was concerned about was if she would have something left after setting a personal record of 9:38 on Thursday. It was really unknown territory tonight to see how she was going to respond and if she would have something left in her legs.”
Jensen secured the first All-American award of her career with her finishing time of 9:36.61, good for seventh in the field. She broke her own school record for the second time in as many races at the national championships. The Westlake HS product spent the majority of the race in the chase pack, hovering between seventh and 10th throughout the race before closing strong to clinch a top-eight spot in the field. She earned two team points for the Aggies and Utah State’s highest-ever national finish in the event. Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the 3,000-meter steeplechase title in an NCAA-record time of 8:58.15.
Jensen became the 15th All-American in the history of Utah State’s women’s cross country and track and field programs and the first Aggie woman to earn All-American honors at an NCAA Outdoor Championships since Cierra Simmons-Mecham claimed first-team accolades in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2018. USU’s four All-American honors in the 2024-25 academic year is the most by the Aggies since a school-record 13 honors were collected in 2017-18.
Utah State finished in a tie for 57th with two points, their best team finish since a 45th-place finish at the 2000 Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Georgia won the women’s team event with 73 points.
“She just ran a tough, gutsy race,” said Gulden. “She went out the first mile of the race faster than she’s ever gone out in a mile in a steeplechase before. She ran aggressively and fought like crazy to pass two people on the last lap to be able to secure herself an NCAA trophy and first-team All-American honors. It was an incredible performance and she answered all the unknowns with her toughness.”
2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 4
Hayward Field | Eugene, Oregon | June 14, 2025
USU Women’s Results:
|
3,000-Meter Steeplechase |
7. Shelby Jensen, 9:36.61. |
