Jenelle Deatherage has covered a lot of ground since winning the 1993 state cross country championship. Jenelle and classmate Tim Broe put East Peoria high school on the map when as juniors, they both won IHSA state cross country titles. They were the first boy and girl runners from the same school to accomplish that feat. This was the first state championship in any sport at East Peoria high school since 1952. She also was the champion in the 1600 meter run in 1995, her senior year in high school. She later accepted a full scholarship to run for the University of Wisconsin Badgers.

Jenelle was just about "all everything" during her collegiate career. She went on to become a four time All-American, and won three Big Ten Conference titles (indoor mile, indoor 3,000, outdoor 3,000). In addition, Jenelle was named the 1999 Big Ten Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and 1999 University of Wisconsin Female Athlete of the Year. She earned a spot on the U.S. team for the 1999 World University Games in the 1,500. By the time Jenelle finished her career at Wisconsin, she had been named five times Big Ten Academics in Track and Cross Country.

After college Jenelle ran for the Wisconsin Runner Racing Team and Team U.S.A. Minnesota. Among her career highlights, third place at the 2003 USA 5K indoor championships, fourth place at the 2004 U.S. Olympic trials in the 1500, second place at the Drake Relays, first place at the 2005 Wise Track Club Capitol Mile(4:38), second place at the Reebok Boston Indoor mile (4:32), and second place at the 2008 USA Indoor 5K Championships.

She retired from professional competition in 2010. Today, with her BA in Kinesiology and a master's degree in physical therapy, she is a physical therapist in the Minneapolis area