From overcoming adversity to becoming All-American

Jacob Hatcher’s track journey at Lee University was far from what he had imagined for himself. From the excitement of his freshman year to becoming an All-American in 2024, his path was full of setbacks and the resilience to overcome them. Now in his sixth year, pursuing an MBA, Hatcher’s story is one of perseverance and hope.

Hatcher arrived at Lee University in 2019 with high hopes for his track and cross-country career.

"I was excited and very anxious, I thought the sky was the limit," he said. However, he quickly realized the demands of college running.

“Track in college is a whole new world … I knew it was going to be harder than high school.”

COVID-19 hit during his freshman year, canceling the spring track season after he had already redshirted in the fall. Hatcher also struggled with anemia, leaving him constantly fatigued. The pandemic not only put a halt to his running career but also took a toll on his mental health. Research from the National Library of Medicine has shown that COVID-19 increased stress, anxiety and psychological distress in athletes. While he was isolated from his teammates due to pandemic restrictions, Hatcher had to learn to cope with both physical and mental setbacks all alone. Instead of feeling defeated, Hatcher used the break to refocus.

"It was an opportunity to get faster and train," he said.

Just as things started to improve, another setback occurred. Toward the end of the summer before his sophomore year, Hatcher began feeling pain in his right leg.

"I left to go on a run and couldn’t finish. That’s when I knew something was wrong," he said. After an MRI, he learned he had a stress fracture in his femur, leaving him on the sidelines for months. Hatcher was devastated.

“I felt like I was in the best shape ever, and the reality of not being able to run sunk in.” All of the difficult emotions he faced during the period of isolation started to resurface.

Unable to run, Hatcher turned to biking and swimming, missing the cross-country season. His comeback was short-lived. Soon after, he felt pain in his other leg, leading to the discovery of another stress fracture, this time in his tibia.

“I was sadder than ever. It felt like I couldn’t catch a break,” Hatcher said. After facing two injuries and a pandemic, Hatcher considered quitting.

Hatcher decided not to give up. He focused on cross-training and stayed connected with his teammates, which helped pull him through.

“I didn’t even care to race; I just wanted to run again and see my teammates,” he said.

The hardships also impacted his perspective.

"Before, I prioritized getting faster and winning. After everything happened, I learned to appreciate simply running and being part of a team." That shift in his mindset helped him return to competition with a new sense of purpose.

By his junior year, Hatcher was back on the track, although slower than before.

“It was the first time I had been running consistently in a long time. I was just thankful to be back.” From then on, he began to improve and found joy in every race, regardless of what the outcome was.

"Hatcher had every reason to quit, whether from COVID or injury, but he put in countless months of training and recovery, mostly alone,” said Will Stone, a former teammate. “Now, he’s reaping what he sowed. If I were in his shoes, I might’ve thrown in the towel long before he ever considered stopping."

Fast forward to 2024, and Hatcher’s determination paid off. After years of setbacks, he became an All-American during the indoor track season. His long journey finally led to the success he had worked so hard for. For Hatcher, success was not just in the races he had won, but in the lessons he learned along the way.

“I’ve learned that success is not found in how good you do, but it’s the story behind how you overcome the challenges before you,” Hatcher said.

Today, Hatcher continues to run cross country and track while pursuing his MBA at Lee University. With his busy schedule, Hatcher remains focused on his goals, hoping to break a four-minute mile.

“No matter what, running will always be a part of my life,” he said.

When asked what advice he would give to others facing challenges, Hatcher said, “When you’re experiencing a setback, don’t worry about getting out of it as quickly as possible. Just focus on today and take the next step forward.”

As Hatcher’s story shows, the road to success is not always straight. But through faith and resilience, he learned to embrace the journey, no matter how difficult it became.

“Put your faith in the Lord and be thankful for each day you get to play a sport in college because not everyone has that gift.”