Rollins was born in Miami, Florida, daughter of Temperance Rollins. She is the eldest of seven siblings and the only female. She is a 2009 graduate of Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Rollins competed for Clemson University and graduated in 2013, majoring in travel and tourism. At Clemson, Rollins was a three-time NCAA champion: winning the 60 metres hurdles in 2011 and 2013 and the 100 metres hurdles in 2013. She turned professional following the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she broke the NCAA record in the 100 m hurdles with a time of 12.39.
At the 2013 USA Track and Field Championships, Rollins won the 100 metres hurdles in an American record time of 12.26, bettering Gail Devers's previous record of 12.33 set in 2000. At the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Rollins won the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.44, beating Olympic and reigning world champion Sally Pearson (12.50). In the final, Rollins had the slowest reaction time in the field (0.263), but was able to run down the field and win gold. For her performances in 2013, she was presented the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year Award.