Danielle "Dani" Jones (born August 21, 1996) is an American middle-distance runner. She is a four-time NCAA Division I champion winning two gold medals at the 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 3000-meters and Indoor Distance Medley Relay, a gold in 2018 in Cross-Country, and later won the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5000-meters. In May 2018, she finished first at the National Women's 1500-meters at the Prefontaine Classic in a time of 4:07.74.
High school career Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Jones attended and ran for Desert Vista High School. In spring 2012, she won her first Arizona state title in the 1600-meters. The following year, she won the Arizona state cross country title. She eventually set Arizona high school state outdoor track records for the mile, 1600 m, and 3200 m.
College career Jones attended the University of Colorado from 2015 to 2020 where she was a four-time NCAA Divion I champion capturing titles in the outdoor 5000-meters, indoor 3000-meters, cross-country, and the distance medley relay. She earned All-America honors 12-times.
As a collegiate athlete for the Colorado Buffaloes, she won the 3000 m and the distance medley relay at the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. During a redshirt season in spring 2018, she won the National Women's 1500 m at the Prefontaine Classic. That fall, she led her team to an NCAA title at the 2018 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships by way of her first-place finish in the race. This was the second time in two decades that the Buffaloes had both a first-place finisher and finished in first place as a team at the national championships.NCAA Division I Championships, Track and Field Reporting Results System, November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018. She won the Honda Sports Award as the nation's best female collegiate cross-country competitor in 2019.
Professional career In December 2020, Jones announces that she would be pursuing a professional running career. She signed with Hawi Management, choosing Merhawi Keflezighi as her agent. Soon thereafter she secured a professional contract with New Balance and then joined the Bosshard training group in Boulder. Colorado.
Major international competitions 2014Adidas Grand PrixNew York, New York3rdMile run4:43.402015Prefontaine ClassicEugene, Oregon2ndMile run4:39.882015Adidas Grand PrixNew York, New York6thMile run4:41.3520252025 NACAC ChampionshipsFreeport, Bahamas2nd1500 metres4:10.495th NACAC Athletics Championship Womens 1500 meters final August 16, 2025
Domestic competitions representing Desert Vista High School2015Mt. SAC RelaysWalnut, California1st800m2:08.85representing Colorado Buffaloes2015NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country ChampionshipLouisville, Kentucky49thCross country running20:322016Payton Jordan InvitationalStanford, California5th (Race D)800m2:05.272016NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon9th1500m4:15.862016NCAA Division I Cross Country ChampionshipsTerre Haute, Indiana22nd6000m20:14.22017NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsCollege Station, Texas1st3000m9:09.202017NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon5th1500m4:14.352017NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country ChampionshipLouisville, Kentucky10thCross country running19:472018NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsCollege Station, Texas2ndMile run4:31.822018Prefontaine ClassicEugene, Oregon1st1500 m4:07.74 (National heat)2018NCAA Women's Division I Cross Country ChampionshipMadison, Wisconsin1stCross country running19:42.82018USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDes Moines, Iowa5th1500 m4:09.162018 USATF Championships - 6/21/2018 to 6/24/2018 Drake Stadium Results USATF2019NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAustin, Texas1st5000m15:50.652019USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDes Moines, Iowa13th1500 m4:12.00representing New Balance2021US Olympic TrialsEugene, Oregon9th1500 m4:06.462022USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSpokane, Washington5th1500 m4:08.142022USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSpokane, Washington4th3000m8:49.442022USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon8th1500 m4:09.862023USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, OregonN/A1500 mDNF2025USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon5th1500 m4:05.62
References
External links "Dani Jones Fits Fast Races Into Jam-Packed Schedule" "Desert Vista runner Dani Jones looking for history"