Jenny Barringer

Height:
5-5
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Oviedo, Fla.
High School:
Oviedo

Three-time Big 12 Champion
Four-time NCAA Champion
Four-time Midwest Region Champion
Nine-time All-Big 12
Five-time All-American
Two-time USATF Steeplechase Champion

Jenny Barringer's Career Races

PERSONAL BESTS
Indoor:
Mile: 4:25.91 (2009, Big 12 Meet, stadium, collegiate and school record)
3,000-Meter: 8:42.03 (2009, NCAA Meet, collegiate, stadium and school record)
5,000-Meter: 15:01.70 (2009, stadium, collegiate and school record)
Outdoor:
800-Meter: 2:02.56 (2009, school record)
1,500-Meter: 3:59.90 (2009, collegiate and school)
Steeplechase: 9:12.50 (2008, American and school record)
5,000-Meter: 15:05.25 (2009, school record)

BIG 12 SCORING
2006 (O) Steeplechase, 2^nd (10:21.90)
2006 (O) 5,000-Meter Run, 8^th (16:59.79)
2007 (I) Mile, 2^nd (4:41.22)
2007 (I) 3,000-Meter Run, 3^rd (9:19.65)
2007 (O) Steeplechase, 1^st (10:19.34)
2007 (O) 5,000-Meter Run, 3^rd (16:59.92)
2008 (O) Steeplechase, 2^nd (10:19.82)
2009 (I) Mile, 1^st (4:25.91)
2009 (O) Steeplechase, 1^st (9:58.14)

NCAA MIDWEST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP SCORING
2006 Steeplechase, 1^st (10:26.04)
2007 Steeplechase, 1^st (9:44.31)
2008 Steeplechase, 1^st (9:44.46, Ed Weir Stadium record)
2009 Steeplechase, 1^st (9:26.20, meet and John Jacob Track & Field Complex record)

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP SCORING
2006 (O) Steeplechase, 1^st (9:53.04)
2007 (O) Steeplechase, 7^th (9:59.81)
2008 (O) Steeplechase, 1^st (9:29.20, Drake Stadium record)
2009 (O) Steeplechase, 1^st (9:25.54, NCAA meet, collegiate, John MacDonnell Field record – fastest time on American soil)

CAREER UPDATE: Jenny Barringer proved over her four years at Colorado that she isn't just a great collegiate or even American athlete, but is one of the best in the world. In her time at CU, she has earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team, two world teams, is a seven All-American (four in outdoor track, two in cross country, one indoor), an 12-time All-Big 12 honoree (nine track, three cross country) and is a seven-time all-region honoree (four track, three cross country). Barringer owns the American record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 9:12.50 and owns several stadium records in the steeplechase (Drake Stadium, 9:29.20; Ed Weir Stadium, 9:44.46; John Jacob Track and Field Stadium, 9:26.20 and John MacDonnell Field, 9:25.54). She is also the NCAA Championship Meet record holder (9:25.54) as well as the NCAA Midwest Region record holder (9:26.20). Barringer has won three international meets (two in the steeplechase, one in the 5k) and has earned numerous awards over the past four years. She has proven that she isn’t just a steeplechaser as she owns the collegiate record in the indoor mile (4:25.91), 3k (8:42.03) and the 5k (15:01.70) as well as the outdoor 1,500 (3:59.90), steeplechase (9:25.54) and 5k (15:07.64); and on top of that she owns seven CU records. Her times in the indoor 3k and 5k were the fifth fastest in the world during the 2009 season (first and second, respectively, by an American) and her mile was the fastest of the year. Barringer became the third fastest woman in the 1,500 at the Prefontaine Classic when she shaved over eight seconds off her PR to record a sub-four minute time at 3:59.90. It was the third fastest time in the world and she was the second best performer in the event. Her most recent accomplishment was winning the steeplechase at the USATF Outdoor Championships for the second time in three years. At the world championships in 2009, Barringer became the eighth fastest performer in the event of all-time.

2009:Indoor--Barringer’s indoor season proved to everyone that she is so much more than a steeplechaser. Barringer started her season by setting the school record in the 3k (8:53.88) at the UW Invitational in Seattle. She broke the record of 9:07.16, which was set in 2003 and became the first Buff to finish the 3k in less than nine minutes. At the time, it was the fastest time recorded in the NCAA Division I. Just two weeks later, Barringer returned to the scene of the crime and didn’t disappoint. She recorded a collegiate record in the 5k at 15:01.70, breaking a time of 15:14.18 by 12.27 seconds. Barringer destroyed the school record by 37.34 seconds (15:39.25). The time was the fifth best in the world as well as the second best time ever run by an American, ever. Two weeks later at the Big 12 Championship, Barringer did it again as she broke yet another school and collegiate record as she raced to her first Big 12 Indoor title in the mile run. In the process, Barringer defeated her rival, Texas Tech’s Sally Kipyego, for the first time in her career. Barringer raced to a mark of 4:25.91, surpassing the former collegiate record set by Vicki Huber of 4:28.31, set in 1988. She passed the previous CU record of 4:40.02 (Sara Vaughn) by 14.11 seconds. The mark was the fastest run during the indoor season in the world. Barringer was named the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Performer of the Year as well as the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year. At the NCAA Championship, Barringer continued to shine and did what she had been doing all year. Barringer won the 3k to earn her first NCAA indoor title and set a collegiate, NCAA Meet, stadium and school record in the process with a time of 8:42.03. The mark was the fastest by an American woman in 2009 and the fifth best in the world. Barringer capped off the indoor season after being named the USTFCCCA Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.

Outdoor-Barringer picked up where she left off during the outdoor season after taking a little over a month off of competing. Barringer debuted at the Oregon Relays on April 24 in the 1,500-meter run. She raced to a then-CU record time of 4:08.38, which at the time was the fastest by in the world in 2009. The following day Barringer ran in the 800 and placed first (2:05.43) which was the second best time in CU history but was the fastest time recorded since 1980. After two weeks of rest, Barringer was ready to show what she could do in the 5,000 at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational. She recorded yet another CU record of 15:07.64, surpassing the former record of 15:24.97. Once again, it was the fastest time in the world (at that time) and it was also an IAAF World Championship ‘A’ standard. Barringer finished 44 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Two weeks later at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, she raced to just her second Big 12 individual title in the steeplechase. Barringer won easily in 9:58.14 and was over 30 seconds ahead of the runner-up. It was the first time she competed in the steeplechase since setting the American record and finishing ninth in the finals of the Olympic Games on August 17, 2008. Barringer was honored with the Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor twice in the outdoor season for her 5k and 1,500/800 performances. Barringer won her fourth straight regional steeplechase crown two weeks later with the then-fastest time in the world in 2009 as well as a regional meet and stadium record of 9:26.20. Barringer was invited to compete at the prestigious Prefontaine Classic in the 1,500. She was ranked 12^th entering the race and shocked a national audience on NBC when she just about beat out Ethiopia’s Gelete Burke in the final 80 meters. Barringer finished in 3:59.90 to become just the third American to finish in less than four minutes. Burke beat her out by the smallest of margins (.01) when she finished in 3.59.89. She shaved off over eight seconds off her PR and a photo of the finish was published in Sports Illustrated. Her mark was the third best in the world and she was the second best performer in the event at the time. Just a few days later, Barringer ran in the prelims of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the steeplechase. She easily won her heat in 9:57.75 to earn a chance to defend her title. Two days later Barringer raced to her third title in the event in a NCAA Championship Meet and stadium record of 9:25.54. It is also the fastest time recorded on American soil. During that week she was named the winner of the Honda Sports Award for track & field and a finalist for the Honda-Broderick Cup which goes to the nation’s top collegiate athlete. Barringer was also named the USTFCCCA Mountain Region as well as USTFCCCA Female Track Athlete of the Year. Not quite two weeks after winning her third NCAA steeplechase crown, Barringer hit the track at the USA Track & Field Championships. She easily won her heat to advance to the finals two days later. Barringer took control of the finals from the beginning and raced to a time of 9:29.38 to win her second USATF title in three years and earned a spot on the team to compete at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August. She defeated the runner-up, Anna Willard, by over five seconds. Barringer went to Europe to compete in a few races before the IAAF Championships. She started by resetting the CU record in the 5k (15:05.25) by winning the DN Galan Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, Sweden. One week later she set the school record in the 800 (2:02.56) and placed third in a meet in Cottbus, Germany. Barringer ended her collegiate track career at the world championships. She advanced to the finals by taking third in the prelims. Two days later Barringer shattered the American, CU and her personal record by almost 10 seconds at 9:12.50. She took fifth overall after coming back from 11th place in the final two laps.

2008: Barringer continues to prove that she is one of the best distance runners to ever compete at Colorado as well as one of the best-ever female steeplechasers in the world. Her first race of the outdoor season (did not compete during the indoor season) was at the Tom Benich Invite (4/12). She ran a regional qualifying mark of 10:28.18 in the steeplechase. A week later, she ran a pr of 2:09.27 in the 800m at the CU Invite. After a two week break, she ran at the Oregon Relays (4/25) and captured a pr of 4:17.19 in the 1,500m. At the Big 12 Championship, Barringer came in second behind Texas Tech’s Irene Kimayo. Barringer returned to form at the regional meet when she won her third regional title in as many years with a time of 9:44.46. Barringer easily won the race by almost 26 seconds as she raced to an Ed Weir Stadium record. At the NCAA Championship, Barringer won her semi-final heat by clocking a mark of 10:00.56. Two nights later, she impressed the NCAA Track & Field community by winning her second NCAA individual title in three years. Her mark of 9:29.20 was a collegiate, NCAA meet, Drake Stadium and CU school record. Barringer ran the race solo and finished over 25 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. The time was just .45 second off the American record of 9:28.75, set by Lisa Gaffigan in 2007. The mark is the second fastest time run on American soil. At the U.S. Olympic Trials, Barringer won her heat of the steeplechase in a then-Hayward Field record of 9:48.50 to advance to the finals. In the finals, she third in 9:33.11 and earned a spot on the Olympic team. As she prepared for the games, Barringer ran twice in Europe. Her first race was in Switzerland. She ran the 1,500 in a personal record of 4:11.36 and finished ninth. But she saved the best for last. Barringer edged Olympic teammate Anna Willard at the finish in the steeplechase at the KBC Nacht meet in Belgium and ran an American record time of 9:22.73. At the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, the women's steeplechase made its debut and Barringer advanced through the first round by finishing third in her heat. She clocked a time of 9:29.20, which equaled her mark from the NCAA Championship. In the finals, Barringer reset her American record by .47 with a time of 9:22.26. She placed ninth overall.

2007: Barringer had one of the longest seasons in the history of CU, starting cross country in August of 2006 and ending after the end of the 2007 cross country season in November. Barringer was a redshirt freshman during the indoor season and came out strong. Barringer ran the mile and the 3,000-meter run, setting personal records in both. She recorded a pr of 4:41.22 in the mile, which is the third best time recorded in CU history. Barringer ran that mark in the finals of the mile at the Big 12 Championship, improving from her preliminary mark by almost 12 seconds. Barringer also scored in the 3k for the Buffs. She earned a time of 9:19.65, which was 10th in the record book and made her the fifth fastest CU woman in the event. Barringer scored all 14 of CU’s points during the conference championship. She went on to the NCAA Championship in the 3k; finishing 12th with a time of 9:23.58. Barringer started her outdoor season in April and wouldn’t stop until September. She competed in the 1,500 and 5,000-meter runs but kept her focus on the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her first race of the outdoor season was at Mt. Sac in the 1,500. She ran it in a time of 4:21.52, which made her the sixth fastest in the event, and was a regional qualifying mark. Barringer moved on to the 5k at the Stanford Invite and placed 4th with a time of 15:48.24, another regional qualifying time. At the Big 12 Championships, she ran a time of 16:59.92 to place third. Barringer competed in the steeplechase for the first time of the season at the conference championship. She won the race and her first career conference title, in a time of 10:19.34. She came in 13 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Barringer continued to dominate the event by winning the regional title for the second straight year. She ran the race in a then school-record 9:44.31, which not only qualified her for nationals, but was also an Olympic ‘A’ standard and qualified her to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008. Barringer defeated the runner-up, Emily Brown (Minnesota) by almost 24 seconds (10:08.22). Barringer moved on to the NCAA Championship to defend her 2006 title. She led her heat in the prelims, clocking a mark of 10:02.17, and was second overall. The finals didn’t go in her favor as her shoe was clipped in the second lap and she fell all the way to the back of the pack as she retied her shoe. Barringer didn’t give up and moved up in the pack to earn her second straight All-American honor in the event by taking seventh (9:57.77). Barringer decided to extend her season and participate at the USA Track and Field Championships two weeks later. She placed first in the prelims with a time of 9:51.04 to advance to the finals. Barringer beat out the 2007 NCAA Champion Anna Willard, who also owns the NCAA Record of 9:38.08, by clocking a school record of 9:34.64, one of the fastest ever by an American woman. With the USATF title came the chance to compete at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka the following August. Barringer made the trip as the youngest member of the U.S. team. She placed 22nd in the prelims (9:51.04). Barringer became the first current CU athlete under head coach Mark Wetmore to compete at the world championships. Barringer extended her stay overseas after she was asked to participate at the 2007 DecaNation Championships. The championship was made up of seven countries; each had the opportunity to be represented by one athlete per event. Barringer won the event on Sept. 8 in a school record 9:33.95. She defeated the French national champion who took fifth at worlds just two weeks before. Barringer’s time was the third fastest in U.S. history.

2006: Barringer took a redshirt in the indoor season and came out strong in the outdoor season. Barringer concentrated on the steeplechase, but also participated in the 800, 1,500 and 5k. She ran a personal record in the 800 at the Potts Invite at 2:14.49 and a third-place finish. She set a regional qualifying mark of 4:32.17 at the Colorado Invitational and a runner-up finish. In the 5k, Barringer set a pr and a regional qualifying mark at Mt. Sac. Barringer also scored at the Big 12 meet by taking eighth overall with a time of 16:59.79. Barringer ran the steeplechase five times during the outdoor campaign. Her first mark in the steeplechase came at the Cardinal Invite. She placed sixth overall in 10:19.08, which was a regional qualifying mark. Her second race was at the Big 12 Championships. She placed second overall in 10:21.90. Barringer took top honors at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a time of 10:26.04. Barringer went on to the NCAA Championships. During the qualifying round, she placed fourth in 10:12.38, and recorded a personal record. During the finals, Barringer ran the race of her life. She set a school record of 9:53.04 and won the NCAA Title. She became the first true freshman at CU to win an NCAA title.

CROSS COUNTRY: Barringer had a strong showing in her freshman year of collegiate cross country, finishing in the top-10 in four out of five of her races, the only drop being at the NCAA Championship where she finished 43rd. At the Big 12 Championship she placed second and at the NCAA Mountain Region Championship she finished eighth. Barringer was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year to go along with all-conference and all-region honors as a freshman. During her sophomore campaign, Barringer showed she will be CU’s leader for the next two years as she led the Buffs in every race this season. She started the season off by winning the Rocky Mountain Shootout. She followed up that performance with a third-place finish at pre-nationals. At the Big 12 Championships, she was the runner-up for the second straight season. Barringer finished second at the Mountain Regional and became the second harrier from CU to earn runner-up status in three years. Barringer picked up where she left off during her junior season. She didn’t compete until pre-nationals on Oct. 13 due to her long track season which ended in September. Barringer recorded her first mark under 20 minutes and set a then-course record of 19:49.8 at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center to earn her first victory of the season. She earned her third consecutive runner-up finish at the Big 12 Championships. Barringer completed the race in her best cross country time ever, 19:27.30. She placed second at the regional championship for the second straight year. Barringer capped off her junior season by placed second for the second straight year at the NCAA meet. It was the third time in four years CU has had a runner-up at the meet. Barringer was named a Cross County Honda Sports Award Nominee for the second straight season. She is a three-time All-Big 12 and All-Region selection and a two-time All-American.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-time All-Seminole Athletic Conference, all-region and all-state runner, Barringer is a five-time 4A Florida State champion on the track and three-time champion in cross country (sophomore through senior seasons), and the 2005 state finalist for the Wendy’s Heisman Award and finalist for the Sports Illustrated Got Milk Award. She was the 2003 and ’04 Foot Locker South Regional Champion in Charlotte, N.C., successfully defending her title in ’04. Advancing to the Foot Locker National Championships both years, she finished third as a junior and 10th as a senior to earn All-American honors. The 2005 USA Cross Country Championships Junior Women’s third-place finisher, she also raced in both the 2004 and ’05 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, the latter as the captain leading the USA to a fourth-place team finish. In the classroom she was a four-year member of the Principal’s List, graduating with a 4.2 weighted GPA.

ACADEMICS: Barringer is a declared political science and economics major at CU. She is an eight-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and owns a 3.564 GPA. Barringer was named the USTFCCCA All-Academic Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year in 2006 and 2007 and was an Academic All-American in 2008. Barringer is a three-time member of the Big 12 All-Academic First Team.

PERSONAL: Born Aug. 23, 1986 in Webster City, Iowa, Jennifer Mae Barringer is the middle child of Bruce and Janet Barringer of Oviedo. She has an older brother, John, is a junior at South Eastern University in Lakeland, Fla., and a younger sister, Emily. Her volunteer work in high school included participating in local adopt-a-road programs, Habitat for Humanity projects as well as volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House. She is active in her church and works with a relocations group to help families who are victims of political unrest to transition to new homes in the U.S.