Jane Hedengren 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year!

"Breaking Records"

5A State 1st place girls track. Jane set UHSAA State Record - 9:48 in the 3200m.


(Deck)

Athletic Excellence

 Jane has set state records in the 1600-meter run, the mile, the 3000 and 2-mile this past season and swept the 800, 1600 and 3200 at the Class 5A state meet, leading the Thunderbirds to the state title. Hedengren clocked her state-best mile and 2-mile times, respectively, in a four-day span with victories at the Brooks PR Invitational (4:35.69) and Nike Outdoor Nationals (9:54.38). Her mile time ranked No. 1 among girls prep competitors in 2023 and No. 8 in outdoor history. The 2-mile clocking ranked No. 3 nationally this spring and set a new sophomore national record. Her 9:24.56 in the 3,000 at the Penn Relays, where she took second, ranked No. 2 in the nation and she secured her fourth state record by winning the 1600 at the BYU Invitational in 4:43.14.  (Deck)    

 Every month, Stroll celebrates an extraordinary athlete. Whether said athlete, their parents, or the Stroll team members reach out to receive the recognition, the young subject is sent a form with about twelve questions. Then, their responses are sent to yours truly, the author. Why this lengthy spiel, you might ask? This means, according to this formula, the author typically doesn’t know much about the person they’re writing about, other than what was sent. What was fun and different about this article is that Jane is basically a legend at Timpview. 

 It’s impossible to have a full conversation with someone on her team about a recent meet or practice without the discussion turning to Jane’s new record, award, or achievement. It was hard not to know about Jane after hearing her name so often on the intercom after she won another race or seeing her as she led the cross-country or track team in a parade through the halls to celebrate yet another success. So, without further ado, Stroll is proud to present the Athlete of the Month, Jane Hedengren!

 Jane was a senior at Timpview, but she began running in elementary school. Inspired by her brothers who started running in high school, Jane adopted the sport as her own. She joined a local track group and began what would become a life-long passion for her. She says, “Everything I’ve learned within my running is applicable to life. It’s incredible to have a sport to kickstart some of those lessons early in my years.”

 Jane has had a valuable set of mentors, including her brothers, to help guide her. Jane says that her coaches have played a vital role in her life, not just with her sport. By offering both athletic and personal advice and by being present to support her, Jane’s coaches helped push her to be her best self. Jane also says that she’s inspired by some of the legendary Utah runners, many of whom she’s never met, who run in college or professionally. Their achievements motivate Jane to be like them. 

 Jane is committed to run for BYU this fall. While she doesn’t have any specific plans, she says, “I want to have a long career and develop year after year. I’m not sure what the future holds and that’s the beauty of it. I will keep working hard with persistence and I hope to continue learning and building relationships within the sport.”

While this article has not done justice to the long and legendary running career of Jane Hedengren, it’s partly because this is just the beginning of what promises to be a great athletic journey. We’re proud of you, Jane! Keep it up!