A standout varsity athlete at Loyalist College, Jutta Merilainen began her collegiate cross country career at the age of 31 and a mother of four. In her first race she finished in first place and kept winning after that. Merilainen won every race she competed in and was a two-time OCAA women's individual champion, leading Loyalist to an OCAA championship in 2004.

She was a two time All-Star, two-time OCAA Academic Award winner and was Loyalist's Female Athlete of the Year twice. She captured the CCAA silver medal two consecutive years at the national championships. Along with that she also won two CCAA silver medals as a member of Team Ontario.

Merilainen also competed at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) level with the Trent Excalibur and finished in the Top 10 at the OUA championships in both years.