Rising Jamaican sprint talent Jounee Armstrong is set to take her athletic and academic journey to the United States after officially committing to the University of Tennessee for the Fall 2025 semester.

The 19-year-old Edwin Allen High School standout has emerged as one of Jamaica’s most promising young sprinters over the past two seasons. She boasts personal bests of 11.49 seconds in the 100m and 23.45 seconds in the 200m, both achieved during the 2025 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships in Kingston.

Armstrong, known for her smooth top-end speed and consistency across rounds, placed fourth in the Girls’ Class One 100m final at Champs, clocking 11.57 seconds in a highly competitive race won by Lacovia’s Sabrina Dockery in a meet record 11.08. She returned later in the meet to finish fifth in the 200m final, running 24.14 seconds into a stiff headwind of -2.3 m/s.

Her breakout also included a dominant sprint double at the 2024 Central Athletics Championships, held at GC Foster College in Spanish Town. There, she powered to victory in the 100m and followed up with a win in the 200m the next day, highlighting her range and competitiveness. She also emerged victorious in the 100m at the 2025 edition of the championships.

The University of Tennessee confirmed Armstrong’s commitment on Wednesday, welcoming her as part of their 2025 sprint squad. “Jamaican U20 speedster Jounee Armstrong will join our sprint squad this fall,” the university’s track and field program posted on social media.

With a strong tradition of developing Caribbean sprint talent, Tennessee will provide Armstrong with access to elite training facilities, world-class coaching, and regular competition in the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference — one of the most competitive in collegiate athletics.

Armstrong follows in the footsteps of several Jamaican athletes who have used the US collegiate system as a springboard to professional and international careers.