THE ROAD HERE
THE JOURNEY.
CHAPTER 01 — 1994 — 2010
WHERE IT STARTED
Before Isaiah ever stepped onto a track, the dream was already being formed around him.
1994–1999
WHERE IT STARTED
A FAMILY BUILT AROUND TRACK & FIELD
Isaiah’s father, Jordan Hudgens, competed in collegiate track and field, beginning at Abilene Christian University in 1994 before transferring to the University of Colorado Boulder (1995–1997) and later Azusa Pacific University (1998–1999). In 1998, Jordan met Isaiah’s mother, Shannon Conover, at Azusa Pacific, where Shannon competed as a collegiate thrower. Track & field was already woven into Isaiah’s family before he was born.
November 13, 2000
THE BEGINNING
ISAIAH IS BORN
Isaiah Hudgens was born on November 13, 2000.
2008
THE MOMENT EVERYTHING CHANGED
BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES
At seven years old, Isaiah watched Bryan Clay win the Olympic decathlon at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Watching the world’s greatest all-around athlete compete on the biggest stage sparked a dream: one day, he wanted to do the same.
I HAVE TO DO THAT ONE DAY.
Childhood
RUNNING BECAME MORE THAN PUNISHMENT
THE CUL-DE-SAC
As a child, Isaiah’s mother would sometimes discipline him by making him run laps around their cul-de-sac. Eventually, something changed. Instead of asking when he could stop, Isaiah asked if he could stay outside and keep running. What started as punishment became the beginning of a lifelong love for running.
CHAPTER 02 — 2010 — 2019
BECOMING AN ATHLETE
Running stopped being an assignment and became the central thread of his life.
February 2010
FIRST TEAM
FEAST PATRIOTS
Isaiah joined his first organized track and field team, the FEAST Patriots. From this point forward, track and field became the central thread of his athletic journey.
2010–2018
THE MULTI-SPORT YEARS
BECOMING AN ALL-AROUND ATHLETE
Although track and field remained his primary focus, Isaiah competed in a variety of sports throughout middle school and high school, including swimming, basketball, and football. Those experiences helped shape the broad athletic foundation that would eventually become the decathlon.
2013
A CONNECTION TO UIW
TRAINING WITH BLAIR SOHL
Isaiah and his longtime friend Collin Jumes began training with Blair Sohl, a pole vault coach at the University of the Incarnate Word. At the time, UIW was a Division II program. Years later, UIW would become the place where Isaiah’s collegiate career unfolded.
2015
FIRST RECORD
MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH JUMP RECORD
Isaiah cleared 5 feet, 10 inches in the high jump, breaking his middle school record.
CHAPTER 03 — 2019 — 2024
THE ROAD TO NCAA
From a freshman setback to the biggest stage in collegiate athletics.
2019
THE DREAM GETS BIGGER
HIGH SCHOOL MVP & COMMITMENT TO UIW
After graduating from high school, Isaiah was named MVP of his small-school program and committed to compete at the University of the Incarnate Word. UIW had recently transitioned to NCAA Division I, giving Isaiah the opportunity to pursue his dream at the highest level of collegiate competition.
2019–2020
THE FIRST MAJOR SETBACK
INJURY & COVID-19
During his freshman year at UIW, Isaiah discovered that he had a calcaneus fracture in his left heel. The injury forced him to miss most of the season, and he finally returned during the opening week of the 2020 outdoor season. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The season was canceled, bringing another unexpected interruption to his development.
2023
BREAKTHROUGH
FROM POTENTIAL TO PERFORMER
After years of setbacks and development, Isaiah broke through in 2023. During the indoor season, he earned First Team All-Conference honors, was named Outstanding Field Events Athlete, and was selected as the 2023 Southland Men’s Indoor Athlete of the Year. During the outdoor season, he again earned First Team All-Conference honors and was named Outstanding Field Performer at the conference championships. He claimed conference victories in the heptathlon and decathlon, won the indoor pole vault, and earned multiple podium finishes in hurdles and relays. He finished the season by qualifying for the NCAA West Regional in the 110-meter hurdles.
- SOUTHLAND MEN’S INDOOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
- OUTSTANDING FIELD EVENTS ATHLETE
- CONFERENCE CHAMPION — HEPTATHLON
- CONFERENCE CHAMPION — DECATHLON
- INDOOR POLE VAULT CHAMPION
- NCAA WEST REGIONAL QUALIFIER — 110M HURDLES
2024
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
REACHING THE NATIONAL STAGE
Isaiah continued his progression during his final collegiate season. Indoors, he earned Second Team All-Conference honors after placing second in the 60-meter hurdles and finished third in the heptathlon at the conference championships. Outdoors, he finished second in the decathlon and third in the pole vault, earning additional Second Team All-Conference honors. He also placed in the top ten in the 110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles, and 4×400-meter relay. He again qualified for the NCAA West Regional in the 110-meter hurdles. Then came the biggest stage of his collegiate career: Isaiah became one of the first student-athletes in UIW track and field history to compete at the NCAA Championships, competing in the decathlon and earning Honorable Mention All-American honors.
- NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS — DECATHLON
- HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
- SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE, INDOOR & OUTDOOR
- NCAA WEST REGIONAL QUALIFIER — 110M HURDLES
CHAPTER 04 — 2024 — 2025
BEYOND COLLEGE
Life without the structure of college athletics — faith, loss, and rebuilding.
September 16, 2024
A NEW CHAPTER
GEORGIA
After completing his collegiate career, Isaiah moved to Georgia. A new chapter began — one without the structure of college athletics and with an uncertain path forward.
October 2024
RETURNING TO FAITH
REDEDICATION
Isaiah rededicated his life to the Lord. His faith became a central part of how he approached the next chapter of his life, his athletic career, and the challenges ahead.
October 25, 2024
BREAKING FREE
FREEDOM
With the help of the Lord, Isaiah quit a crippling nicotine addiction. It marked another major turning point: choosing discipline, faith, and long-term purpose over something that had held him back.
2025
THE YEAR ON THE SIDELINE
WITHOUT A TRACK
Because of a lack of facilities, equipment, and overall support, Isaiah did not train or compete during 2025. For an athlete whose dream had always been the decathlon, stepping away from competition was difficult. But the dream never disappeared.
April 30, 2025
ALAYNA
A NEW RELATIONSHIP
Isaiah began dating his girlfriend, Alayna Dankworth. She became an important part of his life during a period of transition, rebuilding, and rediscovering his purpose.
September 13, 2025
BAPTISM
A PUBLIC DECLARATION
Isaiah was baptized at his church, Restoration Church in Roswell, Georgia. He wanted to publicly display his rededication to the Lord.
CHAPTER 05 — 2026 —
THE COMEBACK
The road back. Then the decision to go all in.
March 28, 2026
BACK IN COMPETITION
THE COMEBACK
After stepping away from competition, Isaiah competed outside of college for the first time. The road back had begun.
June 9, 2026
LOSS
MALACHI
Isaiah’s younger brother, Malachi, passed away from chronic liver failure. His death became one of the most difficult chapters of Isaiah’s life.
September 18, 2026
ALL IN
FULL-TIME ATHLETE
Isaiah made one of the biggest decisions of his athletic career. He left his full-time job to pursue track and field full-time. The path that began with watching Bryan Clay in 2008 had come full circle.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 — ALL IN
THE DREAM WAS NO LONGER SOMETHING HE WAS SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT.HE WAS ALL IN.
The next chapter has begun.