https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/7891470/Kentucky/Jackson_Watts.html

Personal Bests:

Cross Country:

5K – 15:47.00

8K – 23:53.1

10K – 30:51.09

5 Mile – 25:36.00

Indoor:

Mile – 4:10.22

3000 – 8:16.40

5000 – 14:17.04

Outdoor:

1500 – 3:52.27

5000 – 14:34.87

2000S – 5:53.34

3000S – 8:53.97

In The Record Book:

• Ranks 6th all-time in the outdoor 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:53.97 set in 2024

Career Accolades:

• 2024 All-SEC Second Team (Outdoor)
• 2024 SEC Outdoor 3000 Meter Steeplechase Bronze Medalist

Academic Accolades 

• SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll – 2024

2024-25 (Senior)

Cross Country

• Placed 57th, and scored points for team, in the 10k at the NCAA Southeast Regional in a time of 31:30.9
• Placed 53rd, and scored points for team, in the 8k at the SEC Championships in a personal best time of 23:53.1
• Placed 37th in the 8k Red Invite at the Bradley Pink Classic in a time of 24:27.5
• Placed 38th, and scored points for team, in the 8k at the Gans Creek Classic in a personal best time of 23:58.2
• Made season debut in the 8k at the Southern Showcase, placing 24th in a time of 24:36.2

2023-24 (Junior)

Outdoor

• Placed 5th in the 2000m steeplechase with a personal best time of 5:53.34 at the USF Alumni Invitational
• Placed 3rd in his section of the 3000m steeplechase with a personal best time of 8:53.97 at the Battle on the Bayou
• Placed 5th in the 1500m with a personal best time of 3:49.41 at the Jim Green Invitational
• Member of 4×800 relay that placed 3rd with a time of 7:32.98 at the Drake Relays
• Placed 3rd in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:00.03 at the SEC Outdoor Championships

Indoor

• Member of DMR team that placed 2nd with a time of 10:15.93 at the Rod McCravy Memorial meet
• Placed 35th in the 3000m with a time of 8:24.53 at the SEC Indoor Championships
• Placed 14th in the 5000m with a personal best time of 14:17.04 at the SEC Indoor Championships

Cross Country

• Placed 28th with a time of 24:34.0 in the 8k at the Southern Showcase
• Placed 78th with a time of 24:58.7 in the 8k at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational
• Placed 53rd with a time of 24:59.6 in the 8k at the Crimson Classic
• Placed 44th with a time of 24:42.2 in the 8k at the SEC Championships
• Placed 78th with a time of 30:58.3 in the 10k at the NCAA Southeast Regionals

Indoor

• Placed 11th with a time of 8:16.57 in the 3000m at the Razorback Invitational
• Placed 88th with a personal best time of 8:16.40 in the 3000m at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational

2022-23 (Sophomore)

Outdoor

• Placed 2nd in the 2,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 5:53.65 at the UCF Black & Gold Invite
• Set a personal best time of 9:01.01 in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the Stanford Invitational
• Placed 3rd in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 9:01.83 at the Jim Green Invitational
• Placed 12th in the 5000m with a personal best time of 14:34.87 at the SEC Outdoor Championships
• Placed 5th in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 9:04.97 at the SEC Outdoor Championships

Indoor

• Placed 19th and set a career best 4:10.22 in the mile at the Vanderbilt Invitational.
• Placed 18th in the 5000m with a 14:46.32 at the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Cross Country

• Set career bests in the 5k (15:47.0) at the EKU tri-meet and in the 8k (24:15.8) at the North Alabama Showcase.
• Scored points with a 40th place finish (24:32.3) at the SEC Cross Country Championships.

2021-22 (Freshman) 

Outdoor

• Ran in four outdoor meets, including SEC Championships

• Won the 3,000m steeplechase (9:10.46) at the Kentucky Invitational

• Ran collegiate personal bests in the 1,500m (3:52.27) at Florida Relays and 5,000m (14:38.73) at SEC Championships

Indoor

• Competed in four indoor meets with collegiate personal bests in the mile (4:11.76) and 3,000m (8:17.86) at the McCravy and Music City Challenge, respectively

Cross Country

• Finished as the third-fastest Wildcat at 57th place (30:51.8) at NCAA Southeast Regionals in the men’s 10K

• Placed 61st (25:16.0) in the men’s 8K at SEC Championships

• Ran in the men’s Garnet 8K at FSU Pre-Nationals as one of UK’s top eight runners

• Led the Cats in the men’s open five mile at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational with a 16th place finish (25:36.0)
• Competed in the Commodore Classic 8K for his first collegiate race.

High School 

• Kentucky Gatorade Cross Country Player of the Year 2020-21
• Kentucky Cross Country State Champion 2020
• Kentucky state runner-up in the 1600m and 3200m

• USA Milesplit most improved Cross Country runner of the year

Personal 

• Birthday: March 1
• Parents: Wendy and Michael Watts
• Sibling: Garrett Watts

• Major: Electrical engineering
• Hobbies: Snowboarding, wakeboarding, biking and swimming
• Fun fact: Has ran with Craig Engles