LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Tennessee Tech senior Katherine Lynn not only broke her own school record in the high jump Friday afternoon, the Cookeville native may have also become the first Golden Eagle to qualify for the NCAA Regional in women's track & field.

Lynn cleared the bar at 5 feet, 8 inches at the University of Louisville's Cardinal Twilight meet, an event giving student-athletes one final try at qualifying for national competition.

"Katherine had several really good jumps this year at that height but never cleared the bar," said Tech coach Tony Cox. "She was so close, and I knew if she had a good day she could do it."

Lynn's jump tied her with Louisville's Megan Schubert for the best performance of the meet in the high jump, beating her own school record of 5 feet, 7 inches.  The effort by the two-time OVC high jump champ places her in the Top 48 in the East Region as of Friday. If her jump remains in the Top 48, she will advance her to the NCAA East Regional, May 26-28 at Indiana University.

"She had a jump today at 5 feet, 9.25 inches and she just barely missed it," Cox said. "Getting to 5-feet-8 has been a goal of hers all year, and she finally made it. I'm really happy for her, and really proud of her."

On Friday, Lynn joined a field of 10 jumpers with the bar starting at 5 feet, 2 inches. She was successful in her jump at 5-feet-2 on her second try, and topped the 5-feet-4 and 5-feet-6 marks on her first try at each height. At 5-feet-8 she made it on her second jump. With the bar at 5 feet, 9.25 inches, Lynn had three tries but missed on all three.

"Her last jump at that height was a really good jump, and I thought she made it, but she barely pulled the bar off with her lower leg," Cox said.

"There was some really good competition there today, and Katherine really came through," Cox said.