Janis Hurter

I was a High School All-American in soccer from Tennessee and received the first women’s soccer scholarship awarded by Vanderbilt University. Alongside soccer, I was deeply invested in track and field and received scholarship support for my performances in the sport between 1989 and 1993.

I competed in Track and Field from 1978 to 1993, participating in TAC and AAU meets nationwide. Over the course of my career, I competed in a wide range of events, including long jump, triple jump, high jump, 100-meter hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1600m, as well as 4x100m and 4x400m relays. My specialties ultimately became the Javelin and Discus, though I also competed in the shot put. The only two events I am not versed in are the pole vault and hammer throw, as they were not available during my competitive years.

During my collegiate career, I achieved personal records at my final meet—the SEC Championships—throwing 143'8" in the Discus and 140'11" in the Javelin, tying for second and finishing third overall, earning ALL-SEC honors. In 1993, I also placed at the Penn Relays in both the Discus and Javelin. Earlier in my career, at just 14 years old, I was ranked #2 in the United States in the Javelin.

At the high school level, I was the Tennessee AAA State Champion in Discus in both 1987 and 1988 while competing for Germantown High School. I held the Tennessee state record in the Discus from 1988 until 2011.

While at Vanderbilt University, I competed in both indoor and outdoor track. Indoor events included the 40-meter sprint and shot put, while outdoor competition focused primarily on Discus and Javelin, with additional participation in the shot put. I earned ALL-SEC honors in Javelin in 1993, placing in the top three as noted above. 

Beyond competition, I have enjoyed a lifetime of motivating and mentoring athletes across a variety of sports. I also had the privilege of coaching at Loomis Basin Charter School during the years our son attended an experience that further strengthened my passion for athlete development and leadership.