Ep. 153 - From NXN Champ To Breakout Freshman NCAA Season— The Rise of Wake Forest’s JoJo Jourdon

This week on the podcast is JoJo Jourdon!

JoJo holds PRs of:

3:37.00 (1500m), 3:56.37 (mile), 7:53.48 (3K), 13:41.00 (5K), 29:30 (10K XC).

JoJo burst onto the high school national scene in 2023, becoming Utah’s fifth-ever individual Nike Cross Nationals champion with a time of 15:16.5. Not long after, he became just the 21st‑ever high‑schooler to break the four‑minute mile, clocking 3:59.87 in Boston at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.

Despite all the hype, many wondered if the NXN title was a high‑school blip or a fluke. But as a true freshman at Wake Forest, he helped lead the Demon Deacons to an ACC team title, anchoring the pack with an 8th place finish at conference cross country (behind seniors Ethan Strand and Parker Wolfe). all while earning ACC Freshman of the Year.

And with the departure of distance stars like Strand, Wolfe, Graham Blanks, and Yaseen Abdalla, the door is opening wide for athletes like JoJo and Wake to seize control of the NCAA distance landscape. The culture he’s building feels ready to contend for national titles.

During today’s conversation, we unpack:

• What separates high‑school stars who adapt in college from those who don’t and why JoJo believes belief, humility, and trusting your instincts is key

• How trust, patience, and staying “hungry” have defined his freshman year: from finishing last in the mile at ACC indoors to battling toe‑to‑toe with the NCAA’s best in the 5K outdoor final.

• What he sees in the Wake program, and what the evolving trajectory of the team means for his own goals.

  
  

This was one of the most joyful, perspective‑filled conversations I’ve had in a while. So many cool insights and tidbits to take away from JoJo. Truly a rising star of our sport.

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Without further delay, please enjoy my conversation with the one and only, JoJo Jourdon.