Jane Livingston enjoyed track and field during her first season. It was a fun way for a seventh-grader to stay involved. Then she quit.

The Conestoga Valley grad was more interested in dance at the time. Every kind you can imagine: ballet, tap, jazz, on down the list. That was her favorite childhood pursuit. Her passion.

It wasn’t until two years later, when Livingston was a freshman at Manheim Township, that she discovered her athletic talent. To this day, she’s not sure exactly why she rejoined the track team. All she knows is it was a fateful decision.

“I decided maybe I should give it another shot,” Livingston said. “I’m so happy I did. It really gave me a lot of opportunities.”

Livingston became the greatest hurdler in Lancaster-Lebanon League girls history. Her success has continued at Villanova, where she won the 60 meters and 60 hurdles at the Big East indoor championships last month.

PIAA Track and Field-Day 2

Conestoga Valley's Jane Livingston, right, hugs Perkiomen Valley's Christina Warren after they finished 1-2 in the 110 hurdles at the PIAA championships in 2019.

This spring will be Livingston’s final outdoor season. The sport she momentarily cast aside has become a driving force in her life. Her new passion.

Once in a lifetime

CV coach Rick Periandi remembers when he was introduced to Livingston. It wasn’t an ideal set of circumstances.

Livingston was an up-and-comer at Township who qualified for the L-L League championships as a freshman. She false-started at the big race that season.

A short while later, Periandi met the girl who was about to transfer to CV and author one of the most memorable chapters of the coach’s 20-year career. It didn’t take long to realize where this story was headed.

“You could just tell that she was different,” Periandi said. “She had such foot speed. It was incredible to watch. She was on a different planet from anybody that was competing against her. You could see that during her senior year.”

When he looks back, Periandi wishes he enjoyed those years more. He was so absorbed in the next workout, the next race that he didn’t always soak in the achievements.

Periandi helped Livingston win state gold in the 100 and 300 hurdles as a senior. She still holds the L-L League records in both events.

Former Township coach Mark Linn is the one who encouraged Livingston to try the hurdles. They suited her perfectly. They combined her speed with her agility from dance.

“I literally got thrown into it,” Livingston said. “My first meet at Manheim Township I ended up winning the event. From that point on, I was a hurdler.”

One moment that stood out for Periandi came during Livingston’s most challenging season. She dealt with a stress fracture as a junior and missed most of the first two months.

Livingston returned for one dual meet and one invitational prior to the league championships. She still won L-L gold.

“She was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a coach,” Periandi said. “That type of talent doesn’t come around every year.”

Livingston sometimes returns to CV for workouts. Today’s athletes don’t know her or remember her days with the Buckskins. Periandi said it’s hard to describe Livingston. You had to see her to appreciate her.

One only needs to look at CV’s record board. Livingston is on it five times. Besides the hurdles, she’s No. 1 in the 200 and was part of the 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

Jane Livingston

Villanova fifth-year Jane Livingston is a four-time Big East champion and seven-time All-Big East selection.

“She was one of those kids who continued to PR and better herself throughout the year,” Periandi said. “She continued to drop times right up to the end. It was pretty amazing.”

A rare double

Livingston wasn’t supposed to win the 60 sprint at the Big East meet. The goal was to place in the top three and earn some team points. It was the first time she ran the event all season and she posted a PR in prelims.

What followed was a rare double. Livingston became the second athlete in conference history to sweep the 60 and 60 hurdles at the same meet.

“I surprised myself,” she said. “It helped me understand where my fitness was and it gave me some confidence going into the spring season. I was very pleased with it.”

It didn’t surprise those around Livingston. She has developed a reputation for being able to earn first-place finishes through sheer determination.

“She’s a great person and she’s a great competitor,” Villanova women’s track and cross country coach Gina Procaccio said. “When she makes up her mind to do something, she gets it done.”

Livingston plans to compete in both the 100 hurdles and 100 meters this spring. Her goal is to qualify for the NCAA championships. The fifth year is finishing up her Master’s in business analytics and has a job lined up in industrial sales.

Procaccio has learned not to limit Livingston. She can try whatever she wants to try. Even if it’s the sprint-hurdle double with races that are 40 meters longer.

“I imagine she’s gonna want to do it and she’s gonna want to win them both,” Procaccio said. “When an athlete wants to do that, you’re not gonna get in their way.”

The final turn

As her track and field finish line comes into view, Livingston tries not to think about the end of her collegiate career.

The CV grad has squeezed all she can out of her years at Villanova. She’s a four-time Big East champion, a seven-time All-Big East performer and one of the school’s all-time best sprinters and hurdlers.

Whenever she puts away that blue and white uniform, she’ll have to search for a new challenge.

“I think about that a lot,” Livingston said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. Track has been a huge part of my life for so long. Maybe I’ll be a distance runner and try to run a marathon. Maybe I’ll try a triathlon.”

Racing has become part of Livingston’s identity. It’s something she’ll never be able to quit.

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