TF2k23

The East First Round meet takes place May 25 and May 27 in Jacksonville, Florida on the campus of University of North Florida. The athletes attending this meet are competing for a chance to advance to the NCAA championship meet.

The high jump preliminary includes 48 competitors. Only 12 will advance to the NCAA Championships. Let's take a look at few of the athletes.

Elena Kulichenko - Georgia

Georgia's Elena Kulichenko enters as the top East Region jumper this season. The native of Odintsovo, Russia, stands at 5-10 and recorded her top jump of 1.90 meters when she earned a win at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, March 29. That mark is the season's second best in the NCAA rankings. Last season Kulichenko had the sixth best mark in the East First Round at 1.84. She advanced to the NCAA championship meet where she jumped 1.80 which was good for an 11th place showing.

The sophomore has had a strong 2023, starting with indoor season. She won a silver medal at the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships at 1.92, which is her career best mark thus far. Kulichenko improved upon her eighth-place indoor finish as a freshman with a bronze medal winning third place effort of 1.88 at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

During outdoor season Kulichenko earned wins at the Texas Relays, Torrin Lawrence Invitational and LSU Invitational. She took her second silver medal of 2023 at SEC outdoor meet at 1.88. She has jumped 1.84 or higher in each of her five meets this season.

Taylor Beard - Cincinnati

A native of Winchester, Virginia, Taylor Beard has had a successful comeback as she missed last season due to injuries and surgery. She won the American Athletic Conference outdoor and indoor championships with marks of 1.82 at both meets. Beard was also a conference champ during the 2021 outdoor season. In 2021, she became an All-American during the indoor and outdoor seasons, finishing 13th and 16th at the respective NCAA championship meets.

Since her return from injury, Beard has won six of her last seven high jump competitions. The only blemish is a ninth-place showing at this year's NCAA indoor meet, where she was ninth at 1.82 meters. Beard's top mark of the outdoor season was at 1.84 meters at the Tom Jones Memorial meet hosted by Florida, April 14. That finish was tied for 12th best in the NCAA and fifth best in the East Region.

Shanty Papakosta - Georgia

A junior from Athens, Greece, Shanty Papakosta is having a thrilling season at Georgia Tech. She became a champion for the first-time on the collegiate level at the ACC Indoor Track & Field Championships on Feb. 25. Papakosta jumped a career best 1.89 meters in the competition, where she was the lone competitor that didn't miss until she got to 1.86. She followed that with her first outdoor gold medal, winning the ACC meet at 1.82, clearing the bar on her final jump.

Entering the East First Round with the 20th best mark in the NCAA and eight best in the East Region, Papakosta makes her third appearance at the NCAA qualifier. As a freshman in 2021, she was 41st at 1.67 and last season she just missed advancing with a 17th best showing of 1.81 meters.

Other athletes to watch include LSU's Morgan Smalls, Ball State's Charity Griffith, Louisville's Soledad Jean, Duke's Brianna Smith, Middle Tennessee's Esther Isa.