Wichita State University graduate student and high jumper Marissa Jensen loves staying busy, so she starts her days at 4 a.m.

She works as a coach at a cross-fit gym from 5 to 7 a.m. Then it is time for class and studies. Track and field practices takes up her afternoons.

“I really prioritize my studies,” she said. “I study in the mornings. Once practice hits, my focus is on practice. I need to give my full focus to both of them. Evening is my rest time, recovery.”

The demanding schedule pays off for Jensen, from Stanberry, Missouri, and in her fourth year at Wichita State. This week, she is competing in the NCAA West Preliminaries in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a second straight season.

Jensen is halfway through her master’s degree in exercise science after majoring in exercise science with a minor in entrepreneurship. She is a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic selection and a regular on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll with a 4.0 grade-point average.

Read more about Jensen's journey as a student-athlete at Wichita State