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Survivor. Inspiration. Helluva Runner. Three themes that you can use to describe Brandon Hudgins, but he is much more than that.

From Rock Hill, SC, Brandon attended Northwestern High School prior to Winthrop University, where he would earn a degree in Exercise Science. Thereafter, Brandon moved north for Boone, NC and Appalachian State University's graduate Exercise Science program. He would set school records at Winthrop in both the mile and 800m, and would leave the App State with top-5 school records in distances ranging from 800m to the mile.

Early in Brandon's career at Winthrop, he was diagnosed with Wegener's Granulomatosis, a rare auto-immune disease that affects roughly 1 in 250,00 people. On the disease, Brandon says, "Despite losing 4 of the last 8 years to complications with my auto-immune disease I haven't let that stop my journey to the Olympic Trials."  Along the way, he became just the 448^th American to break 4 minutes in the mile at the 2015 Sir Walter Miler. His journey has been far from typical, and due to all the ups and downs, he has experienced, Brandon has developed anxiety, depression, and panic attacks, and as he says, "My journey with running has been as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.  I believe that I have a unique opportunity as an elite athlete to inspire others to chase their dreams in all walks of life." Brandon seeks to change the sport of track and field and make it a better place for athletes like himself in the future.

When not burning up the track, Brandon's other passion in life is music. During his down time and during times of relapses with his auto-immune disease, music has been his outlet of choice and savior.