Joe Jensen was a baseball and football standout at High School North, but at Hamilton College, the junior took up track for the first time last year — and in a big way. Jensen is one of the track and field team’s top athletes. He has been named Conference Track Athlete of the Week three times in 2014.
The college hosted the Hamilton College Continental Invitational on January 25, and Jensen placed first in both the 200 and 400 meter races. His 200 time (21.73) is the seventh fastest in the nation, while his 400 (48.23) is the sixth fastest. He took second in the 60 meter dash and was part of the fourth-place 800-meter relay team. He currently holds school records in the 60, 200, 300, and 400.
He had a similar day at the Hamilton College Invitational on February 15, winning the 200 and 400.
He qualified for the New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championship meet, where he again won the 200 and 400. He also broke his own school record in both events and set a meet record in the 200. His performance earned him First Team All-Conference honors in both events and the Outstanding Performer of the Meet award, the conference’s highest honor.
Jensen will be running in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship meet March 7 and 8 in Boston, where he could qualify for the 2014 NCAA Division III Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, the following week.