Cross Country
Jessica Ortman - Cross Country - University of Kentucky Athletics

JessicaOrtman

  • class Senior
  • Previous School Albany
  • High school Williamsville South
  • 2008 NCAA Outdoors Participant – 800m
  • 2008 All-Mideast Region – 800m
  • 2008 Mideast Region Participant- Steeplechase
  • 2008 Second Team All-SEC – Distance Medley Relay
  • 2008 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team
  • 2008 SEC Academic Honor Roll
  • 2007 All-Southeast Region – Cross Country
  • 2007 SEC Athlete of the Week – Cross Country
  • 2007 Most Outstanding Track Performer at America East Indoor Championships
  • 2007 America East Indoor Champion – 1000m, Mile Run
  • 2007 and 2006 America East 1500m Champion
  • 2007 America East Track and Field All-Academic Team
  • 2006 NCAA East Regional Participant – 800m, 1500m, Steeplechase
  • 2006 America East Indoor All-American – 800m
  • 2006 America East Track Scholar Athlete of the Year
  • 2006 America East Cross Country All-Academic Team
  • Four-Time America East Track Athlete of the Week in both 2007 and 2006

2007-08 (Junior): Cross Country – Earned All-Region honors by placing thirteenth overall at Southeast Regional with 6K time of 21:00 as the first Wildcat across the finish en route to a fourth-place team showing … Finished first or second on team in all six meets of season … Finished second overall at Old Timers Classic with 5K time of 17:38 and named SEC Athlete of the Week for her performance … Also finished second overall at Eastern Kentucky Invitational. Indoor – Second team All-SEC selection after Distance Medley Relay team placed second at SEC Championships posting a time of 11:40.25 … Placed fifth in the mile run at SEC Championships with a NCAA provisional time of 4:47.94, a personal best that ranks ninth on UK’s all-time list … Moved up the school’s 800m all-time list with 2:08.24 mark at Iowa State Qualifier that ranks fourth in the Kentucky annals … At the SEC/Big Ten Challenge, won 800 meter run with a time of 2:11.21 … Ran top 3000m run time of 9:53.68 at SEC/Big Ten Challenge. Outdoor – At NCAA Championships, placed 12th nationally in the 800m semifinals with a time of 2:06.54 … At Mideast Regional, finished sixth in the 800m run in a time of 2:09.01 … Placed eighth at the SEC Championships after running a personal-best time of 2:06.52 that ranks sixth all-time at UK. … Finished sixth in 1500m run at SEC Championships with a season-best mark to finish sixth with a time of 4:25.99 … Broke the UK varsity steeplechase record with a personal-best time of 10:40.88 at the Drake Relays.

Previous College: A four-time America East Conference Track Athlete of the Week honoree her freshman season at the University at Albany … MVP of the outdoor track team in 2006 and co-MVP of the 2006 indoor squad … Set the school record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:06.94 at the 2006 USATF Junior Nationals, good for a fourth-place finish and Junior All-America honors … Placed second in the steeplechase at the 2006 America East Conference meet with a time of 10:34.62, shattering her own school-record time … Earned all-conference honors in the 800 meters in 2006 by finishing second at the America East Indoor Championships with a time of 2:10.88 … Captured back-to-back America East Conference outdoor 1,500-meter titles … Had an impressive showing at the 2007 league meet, finishing first in the 1,500 meters in 4:29.65 and notching second-place showings in the 800 meters and the steeplechase … Advanced to the 2007 NCAA East Regional finals in the 800 meters, finishing seventh in 2:07.32 … Named the league’s Most Outstanding Track Performer at the 2007 America East Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships where she won the 1,000 meters and mile run, and was a member of the record-setting 4×800 relay team … The first female athlete in school history to earn Most Outstanding Performer distinctions from the A-East … Placed fifth at the 2006 ECAC Cross Country Championships in a time of 18:40.20 … The 2006 America East Conference Indoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year (2006) and was the Northwestern Mutual Freshman Scholar Athlete of the Year (2005) … Named to the 2006 America East Conference Cross Country All-Academic Team and the 2007 America East Conference Outdoor Track and Field All-Academic Team … Coached by Roberto Vives … A member of the Dean’s List and the Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

High School: 2005 New York State 800m Champion (2:09.45) … Set sectional records in the 800m, 2000m steeplechase (6:58.87) and 4×400 m realy (3:58.10) … A junior All-American in the 800 meters, 2,000-meter steeplechase, the 4×400 relay and the 4×800 relay … Won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2006 Empire State Games … Coached by Charles Godfrey … The Air Force Academy Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2003-04 and 2004-05 and a Wendy’s High School Heisman national nominee in 2004.

Personal: Full name is Jessica Rose Ortman … Born Feb. 20, 1987 in Buffalo, N.Y. … Mother is Carolyn Ortman-Wolford … Twin sister Jenna is a Wildcat teammate … Other siblings include: Alan (25), Nicholas (23), Kristen (19) and Andrew (11) … Majoring in communications with emphasis in business communications.

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