In a groundbreaking achievement for East Texas A&M University, junior high jumper Jenneil Jacobie has become the institution’s first athlete to qualify for NCAA Division I National Championships since the university entered the Division I era. The Grande Rivière, Gros Islet native will compete in the women’s high jump at the 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships, joining an elite field of 16 qualifiers.
Jacobie’s remarkable season includes clearing 1.87 meters—a height that established new school and Southland Conference records. This accomplishment makes her the sole competitor outside the Power Four conferences to qualify for the national championships. The pre-med student, who recently claimed the Southland Conference high jump title, has paved the way as the first Lion athlete in any sport to reach NCAA National Championships in the Division I era.
Among the 16 qualifiers, Jacobie’s season-best performance ranks tenth overall. To secure All-American honors or contend for a medal at the March 14th event, she will likely need to match or surpass her personal-best mark. The top eight finishers will receive All-American recognition.
Jacobie follows in the footsteps of other Saint Lucian NCAA champions, including Jeanelle Scheper (University of South Carolina, 2015 high jump gold medalist), Dane Magloire (Lincoln University, Division II triple jump), and Levern Spencer (Albany State University, women’s high jump).
The 2026 NCAA Division I Indoor National Championships will be held at the University of Arkansas’s Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville on March 13-14, with the women’s high jump scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on March 14th.