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COLLEGE STATION, Texas – North Dakota State senior Rose Jackson had the meet of a lifetime.
 
Jackson registered career-best performances in three out of five events in the pentathlon at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday, finishing eighth to earn the first All-America honor of her career.
 
In a span of five hours, Jackson posted the best marks of her life in the 60m hurdles, shot put and long jump, and she had the second-best performances of her career in the high jump and 800 meters. It was enough to total 4,142 points – a new school record.
 
Jackson has now surpassed Bison All-American Whitney Carlson's previous pentathlon school record from 2011 by 127 points.
 
It was a welcome moment for Jackson, who has struggled with injuries throughout her career, to have everything click on the biggest stage.
 
"Finally. Everything finally came together," said Jackson. "I'm so glad I stuck with it through the injuries. It was huge to have the support of all my teammates, coaches and family members. I never stopped believing in myself, and no one ever stopped believing in me. That's why it means a lot."
 
Jackson opened the pentathlon by clocking 8.77 seconds in the 60m hurdles, trimming 0.28 seconds off her previous best of 9.05. She cleared 5-03.00 (1.60m) in the high jump to match the second-best height of her career.
 
The Willmar, Minn., native made up serious ground in the next two events, posting some of the top marks in the field in the shot put and long jump to vault from 15th place to 10th. Her throw of 41-11.25 (12.78m) in the shot put ranked second among the 16 pentathlon competitors, and her personal-best 19-11.75 (6.09m) in the long jump was fourth-best in the pentathlon field.
 
She closed the meet with a gutsy run of 2:17.57 in the 800 meters – fast enough to give her the eighth and final first-team All-America spot by only a three-point margin.
 
The All-America finish was a dream realized for Jackson.
 
"In our indoor facility, we have the banners of all the All-Americans at NDSU," said Jackson. "I really wanted a banner. It's special that it will be up there with all the great athletes we've had at NDSU."
 
In addition to improving her school record score, Jackson also moved up to No. 3 all-time at NDSU in the long jump and No. 8 in school history in the 60m hurdles.
 
She joins Laura Hermanson, Leslie Brost and Erin Teschuk as the only four Bison women to earn indoor first-team All-America honors at the Division I level.
 
NDSU head coach Stevie Keller, who coaches Jackson and all the NDSU multi-event women directly, was impressed by Jackson's showing in her national meet debut.
 
"For her first time at nationals, to finish with three personal-bests is pretty impressive," Keller said. "Usually it takes some time for an athlete to get comfortable and compete on the national stage. It's fun to see her do this for her senior year. Every pentathlon she has done this year, she's improved."
 
Jackson said she wasn't without nerves, but about halfway through the competition, she realized she belonged with the nation's best athletes.
 
"I thought, 'I'm here and I made it for a reason'," she said. "Representing NDSU at this level – we belong up there, too. I hope more Bison make it to this meet and have this experience."
 
Keller noted the impact Jackson has made over the course of her career, and especially during her breakout senior season.
 
"Rose is a phenomenal leader. Everybody on our team looks up to her," said Keller. "She is one of the nicest kids and one of the most serious competitors. It's amazing how someone can make that big of an impact on your program and leave this kind of legacy."