Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes

Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes is an elite runner and ran for Brigham Young University in 2016 and from 2019 to 2022. The gap in her running was due to her service as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While on her mission she tore her meniscus, which required surgery in March 2017. She took a year off from running until she got home.

She missed her last year in high school track due to an ACL tear.

In March 2021, Lauren ran in the distance medley relay race in the 2021 Indoor Track and Field Championships and she and her teammates won the event. Her sister, Alena Ellsworth was part of the team. Each athlete secured All-American honors. Immediately after the race, the four medley teammates gathered off the track for a group hug. “And then Lauren suggested we all say a quick prayer,” Wayment told the Church News. “We took a moment to pray and thank our Heavenly Father for all He had blessed us with during our collegiate careers, and especially at that moment. It was very tender.”[1]

In May 2021 Lauren ran with Alena, Clair Seymour, and Meghan Hunter in the women’s 4x400 relay and passed the previous record by three seconds with a time of 3:33.30 at the NCAA West preliminaries.