Nebraska Star Jess Gardner 'Locked In' After Ending Summer On The Beach

Nebraska pole vaulter Jess Gardner is off island time and back to work.

The fifth-year senior reported for duty Wednesday as college athletes across the country return to school ahead of the fall season. Schools far and wide are gearing up to return to class -- you may have noticed the dreaded school buses back around town this week -- and Nebraska's most popular athlete is ready to roll.

"Locked in and ready for year 5," she wrote on Instagram before crushing the bench press.

Jess Gardner looks to build on huge season

It was a huge 2022-23 campaign for Jess Gardner, and she followed it up with a heater of a summer.

Luckily for us, it looks like that was just the beginning. No idea how much weight that is, but I can assure you it's more than you or I will ever get up. I'd like to say I blame the three shoulder surgeries I've had on it, but that's just an excuse.

I'm a dad now. Jess Gardner is an athlete -- and she's absolutely coming.

The Nebraska pole vaulter burst onto the scene in the middle of last season, drawing the infamous Olivia Dunne comparisons we all like to toss around. Her social media following has exploded since then, as has her NIL piggybank.

Now, she enters a fifth year locked and loaded -- both physically and mentally. Don't forget, it was just last week that Gardner took to TikTok to call out the entire Nebraska football team for being a bunch of softies.

Fast-forward a week, and she's now backing up that talk from the weight room.

Buckle up. I have a feeling we're in store for a huge year.