RIPON, Wis. - Jenna Breaker '15 is the only two-time National Champion in Ripon College history, winning the NCAA Division-III Indoor High Jump Championship as a sophomore, before doing the same at the Outdoor Championships as a senior to put a bow on her storied career. The first Ripon female student-athlete to qualify for Nationals four times (3 outdoor, 1 indoor), Breaker still holds school records for the indoor high jump (5-07.75), set at the 2013 National Championships, and outdoor high jump (5-10), which qualified her for the 2015 National Championships.
"A lot of hard work went into it, so it feels great to win the championship," Breaker said in an interview immediately after her 2015 National title. "I couldn't have asked for a better support system from Ripon College, my teammates and my family."
Another highlight of Breaker's career came at the 2015 MWC Outdoor Championships when she was named Performer of the Meet after tying a 22-year-old conference record in the High Jump with a leap of 5-08. That marked her third conference championship in the event, with two coming in the Outdoor Championships.
"Everything Jenna accomplished was because she willed herself to greatness," former Ripon track & field coach Bob Duley said. "She was so very talented that all I did was provide her with structure and direction. It was because of her talent, attitude, and work ethic that she became one of the greatest athletes in the history of Ripon College."
A native of Tigerton, Wis., Breaker is the only two-time All-American in Ripon women's track & field history, earning that honor each time she won the National Championship. In addition to excelling at the high jump, Breaker also competed in the long jump, triple jump, javelin, and relay events at the conference meet. What separates her from other student-athletes that have come and gone is her work ethic and dedication to her craft.
"Jenna approached each practice and competition with a positive 'I can' attitude, which was instilled in her by her parents," Duley said. "With Jenna, everything starts with family. She is an amazing person and is someone who's a privilege to be around."
Breaker continued to participate in the High Jump after her graduation, finishing just shy of the Olympic Trials standard in 2016. A Studio Art major, Breaker has worked as a graphic designer for the athletic apparel and shoe company, Eastbay.
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