The RoundHouse | 5/22/2024 11:51:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Marissa Jensen hesitated to call Steve Rainbolt, the coach she wanted to high jump for and later turned down.
 
"I was terrified," she said. "I de-committed from Wichita State and I would feel terrible calling him up after I entered the portal and saying 'Hey, Bolt would you take me back?'"
 
Jensen, in her second year at Missouri, called Rainbolt. No need to be worried. Rainbolt, Wichita State's director of track and field, welcomed the chance to coach her, even after her detour from planning on WSU to signing with Missouri.
 
"I had full intentions of coming (to WSU)," she said. "As a high schooler, you get in the mentality of 'I want to go as big as I can.' I will say to all the high schoolers – do not have that mentality. Go to the coach you have a connection with."

That connection held when Jensen, from Stanberry, Mo., decided to leave Missouri before the 2021 indoor season. She called Rainbolt in January, certain she wanted to come to WSU and restore her confidence in her abilities.
 
"I was tickled to death when I found she was interested in coming to Wichita State," Rainbolt said.
 
That started a process of Rainbolt listening and encouraging and Jensen methodically improving after a rough time at Missouri.
 
"I knew I trusted Bolt," she said. "He really was amazing. I was destroyed as bad as I could be mentally. I had no confidence in myself. He sat with me for weeks on end, listening to me, and saying 'I believe in you. I know we can get you back to where we were.'"

Jensen is one of nine Shockers qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries this week in Fayetteville, Ark. She jumps on Saturday and is making her second appearance in the meet after finishing 14^th in 2023. The top 12 finishers in each event advance to the NCAA Championships on June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.
 
"I'm going to be relaxed and thankful for the journey, she said. "High jump can vary from one week to the next. I'm going to hope it's my amazing day."
 
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.
 
Jensen, who jumped 5-foot-7 in high school, competed for the Shockers in the 2021 indoor and outdoor seasons, peaking at 5-foot-5. In 2022, she improved to 5-5 ¾ indoors. When the outdoor season ended, she faced a turning point. To finish her career strong, she needed a plan and dedication.
 
"I was hitting a low," she said. "At this point, I needed to make a drastic change. I decided I'm going all in. I knew I could do more. I don't want to leave here and feel I've left myself as average."
 
Jensen worked out daily at Cessna Stadium during the summer of 2022. She talked herself into the car on mornings she didn't want to go. She stuck to the routine until she saw rewards.
 
She cut out most snacks. She swapped out brownies for rice cakes with syrup, Pocky biscuits or chocolate protein bars. She loaded up on chicken, rice and sweet potatoes.
 
"I started really focusing on my nutrition," she said. "I ran a lot on campus. I ran on the trail near Oliver (Street). If it was a lift day, I would run later."
 
Jensen's love of the event and her attention to detail never wavered. As her confidence and conditioning improved, progress came quickly.
 
"She really is a deep thinker about the high jump event," Rainbolt said. "She is really, really into it. Minute details such as foot placement, angles in the plant and takeoff. Every angle of every lever we deal with. I admire how analytical she is."
 
When workouts started in the fall, she could tell a difference in preparations for the 2023 season. She jumped 5-9 ¼ indoor and placed fifth in AAC Championships at 5-8 ½. She finished third outdoors in the AAC Championships at 5-10 ½, tied for fourth on WSU's career list.
 
She redshirted for the 2024 indoor season after a car accident sidelined her with a concussion. She returned for outdoors and jumped 5-8 ¾ to win the Ward Haylett Invitational at Kansas State in April. She jumped 5-7 ¾ to finish sixth in the AAC Championships earlier this month.
 
Over the past three weeks, she turned to writing down cues in a blue notebook to fine-tune her stride, her approach and her take-off.
 
"I'll sit off by myself, notebook in one hand and water bottle in the other," she said. "I run through the cues. I focus on quickness. Quick, quick, quick. Put the foot down and give myself those cues."
 
Last year, Jensen came close to advancing to the NCAA Championships. On Saturday, she hopes her notebook, her cues and confidence can carry her into the top 12.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.