BALTIMORE, Md.-Morgan State women’s high jumper Jailah Mason this past Saturday completed what has been an exceptional freshman year as a member of the Lady Bears’ track and field team.Mason

Just two weeks after placing ninth in the nation at the NCAA Championships on this very field, the Sterling Heights, Michigan native added yet another major accomplishment to her resume when she cleared a height of 5’10” to finished third at the USATF Junior Championships held at historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

The top two finishers would earn an automatic bid into the Pan American Junior Championships, while Mason’s third-place finish made her an alternate.

“The coaching staff is extremely proud of her accomplishment this year as a freshman,” said Morgan State head coach Neville Hodge. “This was a great opportunity for her to experience what it is like at that level.”

Mason’s successful freshman campaign began in her first collegiate meet when she claimed the high jump title, while setting a Wesley Brown Field House record with a jump of 1.80 meters at the Lid Lifter Indoor Meet hosted by the Naval Academy.

During the outdoor season, Mason set both a Penn Relays’ high jump college-section record and a school record in the high jump with a height of 6-00.50, both of which were previously held by Brittany Robinson. Mason would later in the week earn Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Field Performer of the Week honors for her accomplishment.

After placing second in the MEAC outdoor championships, Mason continued her stellar freshman season advancing to the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Fla. On the final day of competition she would place first out of 46 competitors to capture the east title. Mason would go through the East Preliminary with an unblemished run and was one of two jumpers to not miss an attempt during the competition. She would finish with a jump of 5-11.50 to share top honors with University of Akron senior Claudia Garcia Jou and punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Mason would become the first Lady Bear individual to advance to the NCAA Championship, since Allison Randall (discus) in 2010. Prior to that, Robinson and current assistant coach Janice Smythe (400 hurdles) qualified in 2006. The Lady Bears’ 4X100 meter relay teams qualified in 2012 and 2013.

Mason, who was the only freshman to qualify in the high jump for the NCAA finals, would place ninth out of 24 athletes with a height of 5-11 ¼. Mason would fall just short in her quest to be among the top eight high jumpers, but would earn All-American second team honors.