By: by Scott Lipsky
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Senior high jumper Jerome McKinzie will begin his quest to bring home the Kennesaw State Owls first-ever NCAA Division I National Championship at 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time when he competes in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
McKinzie earned an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. on January 31, when he cleared 2.20 meters (7'2.5"). He had to wait until the selection committee made their final decision on Monday evening since the height required to automatically qualify this year was set at 2.24 meters.
The Marietta, Ga. native is the first Kennesaw State Owl in any sport to individually qualify for an NCAA Division I national championship. This is the first season that track and field has been eligible for team and individual national championships after the athletic department successfully completed the NCAA's mandatory Division I re-classification process.
After going through a light practice session on Thursday, McKinzie described what it was like to be in the same place as all of the best athletes in his sport.
"The biggest difference being here as opposed to any other meet is that when you're practicing and seeing the other competitors, you know that every one of them can be dangerous is among the elite," said McKinzie, who won his fourth consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor title in the high jump on February 27 to help the Owls win the overall team title. "It really makes you focus because it will take a great performance to be able to beat any of these guys that are here."
The Indoor National Championships will be held March 12-13 at the Randall Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with the University of Arkansas serving as the host. ESPN360.com will be streaming portions of the championship on Friday and Saturday evening.
