ELLENSBURG, WA (Mar. 13) -- This weekend's schedule proves what Central Washington University's TAYLER FETTIG can do with a full indoor season of preparation. The high jumper is CWU's lone representative at this weekend's NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field national meet in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"It feels great," she said earlier this week. "I'm happy where I'm at. Hopefully I can perform where I want to."

Where she's at is 1.77 meters in the women's high jump, which measures to 5-feet, 9 and ¾ inches. The mark ranks her sixth in the nation coming into this weekend. She's not necessarily paying too much attention to rankings and instead will take it all in, this being her first national championship indoor meet, after qualifying for the outdoor nationals as a sophomore last year.

"I always go into a meet jumping for the fun of it," she said. "Hopefully I can PR."

Any specific goals for this weekend?

"My dream jump is 1.83 (meters)," she said, which would be six feet.

CWU jumps coach Tony Monroe is confident with that idea.

"It's something I think she can do. 1.83, that's a magic number for athletes," he said.

It's a height which is achievable more so this year than any other year simply due to Fettig's renewed commitment to the indoor season. It's not as though the Olympia High School product slacked in previous years, quite the contrary. Fettig was a two-sport athlete her first two years as a Wildcat, who played as a reserve forward on the CWU women's basketball team. She stepped away from the basketball team at the end of last year to concentrate solely on track and field, including the indoor season, which runs parallel to the basketball schedule.

"She's actually been training," CWU head coach Kevin Adkisson said. "That's where we're seeing a significant difference. Tayler's made some really good progress. This indoor season has really shown the next step has been made. We knew she could compete at this level."

The ability to compete more frequently has been fuel to Fettig's fire.

"It's my first full indoor season," she said. "I'm more aggressive and it's pretty exciting."

While Fettig qualified for national in high jump, she also competes in the indoor pentathlon, where she has seen improvements across the board.

"It's much easier to focus and improve and I've seen growth in my long jump, high jump, hurdles and even the shot," she said.

Fettig arrived in Winston-Salem on Wednesday night. She, Monroe and assistant coach Brittany Aanstad  – who are making the trip along with Fettig – will practice Thursday and also take part in a banquet honoring the 540 individual competitors and the teams which made the national cut. The meet begins Friday, but Fettig will be there as a fan as she doesn't compete until 11:15 Saturday.

"This is a great honor," she said. "I definitely feel prepared."