Science Hill alum leads Carson-Newman relay team to national title

Sometimes life comes at you fast. That's especially true if you're a sprinter. When Rylan Jordan reached the end of his senior year at Science Hill, continuing his running career in college didn't seem to be in the cards. "Coming out of my senior year of high school, going into the summer, I didn't have any offers," he said. Two years later, Jordan is an NCAA Division II national champion and an All-American three times over thanks to a last-minute offer from Carson-Newman. Jordan said the fact that his Science Hill teammate Emmett Watson had committed to the Eagles helped pave the way for him to continue his career in Jefferson City. Jordan admitted it may have been a late decision, but given the gift of hindsight, he knows now it was the smartest move he could have made. Of course, it didn't come without some growing pains. The biggest adjustment was the regimen required to perform at his peak over the course of the entire collegiate season. "In high school, I would eat whatever, sleep whatever, and then go to the race and PR," Jordan said. "In college, it's a whole different level. You have to watch every single thing you put into your body, and you have to sleep nine hours. The training room is part of your daily routine. It's not just a place you go when you're injured." Jordan ran the 400m last year as a freshman. During his sophomore year at Carson-Newman, a breakthrough performance during indoor season brought forth a change in plans. Jordan finished third in the 60m at the national indoor meet this spring, which opened the door for him to run the 100m and 200m during the outdoor season. As the outdoor season began, there was plenty of buzz around the Carson-Newman 4x100m relay team. Jordan anchored a team that included Taylor Madison, Amine Kasmi and Favour Ekpekpe and said the group had a singular focus that could not be denied. "We all worked together very hard all year, and we had one common goal to win a national championship," he said. "When four minds are put together like that, we can really accomplish anything." When the time came for the 4x100 relay final last Saturday, the stress was palpable. Carson-Newman had never won a national title in a relay event, and head coach Kieran Showler-Davis had seen a lot of close calls in recent years, including a runner-up finish in 2023 and a third-place result in 2022. "It was a lot of stress." Jordan said. "There were seven other elite teams on the track, so we had to go into this meet with a strong mentality that we were absolutely going to win this." There was a sense of foreboding when Kasmi had to slow down on the first baton exchange, but the next two handoffs were flawless. When Jordan got the baton, he was neck-and-neck with a runner from Pittsburg State before winning the sprint to the finish line to post a time of 39.30, a new facility record. "When we crossed the finish line in first, it felt so good that all the work we put in all year, we had something to show for it," Jordan said. After making history, Jordan capped off an amazing meet with a third-place finish in the 100m finals and a fourth-place finish in the 200m, earning All-American honors in both events. No matter where his running journey takes him next, Jordan knows where it all started. For him, the spark of confidence and love for the sport that carried him to a national title came from the support he received from coaches Anthony Jones and Johnny Tucker. "I definitely fell in love with track as soon as I got into the program," Jordan said. "They were the coaches who, at first sight, believed in me. I remember Coach Tucker my freshman year, he put me with all the older guys and told me I could run with them even though I thought I couldn't run with them. They bought into me and I bought into them. I would not be in the situation I am today without them."