KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 13, 2026

About ten years ago, Jennifer Wells stepped off a boat while visiting Robben Island in South Africa. She immediately felt what she describes as ‘pins and needles’ in her feet, a pervasive pain she thought was due to her cramped sitting position on the vessel. She thought it would go away in a few hours, but it didn’t. The symptoms only got worse, leading to numbness.

For Wells, an associate professor of higher education and student affairs at Kennesaw State University, that episode marked the beginning of her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS), a journey of resilience that has taken her to the world stage as a CrossFit adaptive athlete.

By the time she returned to the United States, the numbness had spread up to her waist. Doctors initially suspected a back injury and, after a series of tests, diagnosed her with MS, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system and usually impairs mobility and muscle strength.

“I really thought that was the end of everything,” Wells said, reflecting on her diagnosis. “I thought I would have to give up working out.” 

Just two years before, she had found a passion in CrossFit and thought the diagnosis would mean the end. But her neurologist told her that the muscle memory and strength she had built from working out helped keep her mobile during the worst of her initial flare.

“When the doctors told me it was my muscle memory that kept me walking during that time, that was huge for me,” she said.

Rather than cutting back or stepping away from CrossFit after her diagnosis, Wells leaned into it and now credits the consistent workouts and other lifestyle changes with managing her MS.

“I still do have symptoms, but there has been no progression,” said Wells, who teaches master’s and doctoral students in educational leadership at the Clarice C. and Leland H. Bagwell College of Education. “I think the consistent workouts help to keep my muscles strong, which helps the joints and just keeps the body moving. I'm a big proponent of ‘motion is lotion.’”

A teacher at heart, she soon took her CrossFit journey to the next level, getting certified as a coach. In 2024, she entered the adaptive division of the CrossFit Games for the first time, competing in the neurological category for athletes with conditions such as MS. That year, she advanced from the CrossFit Open to the semifinals and ultimately to the CrossFit Games, competing against athletes from across the world. In 2025, she improved and finished sixth in the world. She is currently training for the 2026 CrossFit Open.

The principles she uses while coaching in the gym inspire the way she approaches teaching in the classroom. She explains that both environments require flexibility, empathy, and the ability to adapt in real time to meet people where they are.

“In CrossFit, there’s a written prescribed workout called Rx each day, but not everybody can do that,” Wells said. “You have to think on the spot and figure out how to adapt it for each individual. Teaching is the same for me. If what I’m teaching isn’t connecting, I have to come at it from a different angle.”

Her ability to balance the demands of coaching, competition, and teaching has not gone unnoticed by her colleagues at Bagwell. Arvin Johnson, chair and professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, said Wells’ energy and commitment make a strong impression on those around her.

“Collaborating with Dr. Wells has been such a delight,” Johnson said. “She inspires the Educational Leadership department with her strong motivation and determination. Dr. Wells has an extremely busy lifestyle, in which she routinely exercises and competes, all while maintaining an excellent track record as a faculty member. It is very impressive how she balances so much.”

At the heart of Wells’ motivation to persevere is the memory of her sister whom she lost to complications from a traumatic brain injury 11 years ago.

“I think I live for her, too,” Wells said. “When she passed away, I wondered what the point was of finishing my dissertation. But I used her to inspire me to go on, especially for my parents.”

Wells now coaches classes about once a week while preparing for the 2026 CrossFit Open. She hopes her story encourages others to push through limits, whether they face a medical diagnosis, a professional hurdle or a personal setback.

“I would love for people to be inspired,” Wells said. “It doesn’t have to mean you have an autoimmune disorder. It’s about finding something you’re passionate about, having a growth mindset and believing you can be better.”

– Story by Christin Senior

Photos by Katherine Seghers and provided by BAW Media

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.