COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Mount Mercy's Higgins has it all

By Chad Cooper, Community contributor

CEDAR RAPIDS - Strength, agility and fluidity are components of a great javelin thrower.

The body of the athlete must be in precise movement from the run-up to the release. A great javelin thrower must successfully combine speed, precision and power.

Jenna Higgins understands these tenets and embodies all of the components.

The Mount Mercy junior is a three-time national qualifier and defending champion in the event and only a few feet shy of qualifying for the Olympic Trials. This is all even more impressive when you consider Higgins had never thrown a javelin before setting foot on the Mount Mercy campus.

“I played softball and volleyball (in high school) and a lot of those movements were similar to the javelin,” she said. “It came pretty naturally to me but it still took a lot of work.”

Also a three-time Midwest Collegiate Conference champion, Higgins broke her own school record at the MCC meet on May 4 with a NAIA-leading throw of 163 feet, 1 inch. That put her in the Top 20 nationally among all divisions.

Higgins will try to reach that Olympic Trials standard - a break her record again - at the NAIA Outdoor Championships, starting today at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.

While that mark is the goal, Higgins is focused on competing.

“I do definitely think about it but my coaches tell me that I just need to focus on improving because that's what has gotten me this far,” she said.

In addition to being one of the nation's best in the javelin, Higgins also is a champion sprinter who holds conference titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and as a member of the 400 relay. She is an indoor All-American in the 60 dash and will compete in the 100 and 400 relay this weekend.

“Jenna is a phenomenal athlete, but more than that she's a great leader with a great attitude that motivates our other athletes,” said Coach Jamie Jimison.

For all of her accomplishments and honors the most surreal may be Higgins' literal role as the face of Mount Mercy. The university has used her image on billboards around town as a recruiting tool. There is a billboard along Interstate 380 and even one in the outfield at Veteran's Memorial Stadium.

“It was pretty crazy,” she said. “I took my friends along and had them take pictures. I couldn't believe it.”

Higgins embraces her role as an ambassador for the university.

“I try to give Mount Mercy a good name and live up to their expectations,” she said. “They strive for us to be good students and good overall people.”

Higgins prides herself on staying composed, especially this weekend.

“It is just like another meet to me now,” she said. “I try to compete against myself and work upon personal improvement. That's what has made me successful thus far.”

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