Kaufman, a multisport star who was also an All-American in volleyball, cleared 6-1.25 (1.86m) and beat out Arizona's Elizabeth Patterson. Patterson, who defeated Kaufman at the NCAA Indoor meet in March, cleared 6-0 (1.83m).

 

“I feel amazing, this is something I've dreamt about and the one thing I've wanted as an athlete,” Kaufman said. “I couldn't be more excited. After the field was cut to four, I felt I had the edge. I didn't have any misses and the other girls had one or two. I definitely felt loose out there and knew I had the advantage when the bar moved higher.”

The event was delayed for more than a half hour due to heavy rains in the area. Kaufman passed on the opening height and then cleared 5-9.25 (1.76) and 5-10.75 (1.80m) on her first attempts. The field of 24 was whittled to four and among the remaining competitors were Kaufman, Patterson, UC Santa Barbara's Jane Doolittle and Nebraska's Epley Bullock.

 

At 6-0 (1.83m), Kaufman and Patterson cleared on their attempts and Doolittle missed on all three. Bullock missed her first two attempts before passing to the next height, where Kaufman easily flew over the bar at 6-1.25 (1.86m). Bullock was eliminated after her miss and Patterson missed on her first attempt before deciding to pass to the next height of 6-2.75 (1.89m).

 

With the championship on the line, Patterson missed on her final two attempts giving Kaufman the championship.

 

 “I'm extremely happy for her,” head coach Carymn James said. “She had to be so mentally tough due to the weather conditions and to wait around for so long – her first jump didn't occur until and hour and 15 minutes into the event. She also had to stay warm and focused through the length of competition. I'm just so happy. She deserved it and I'm so happy for University of Hawai'i who hasn't had a national champion in 26 years.”

 

UH's last track and field national champion was Gwen Loud, who won the long jump at the 1984 outdoor championships. Loud and Kaufman are the only track and field national champions in school history.

 

For Kaufman, the gold is her third medal in as many national championships. She captured the silver in March at the indoor championships and took bronze at the 2009 outdoor championships.

 

Entering this week's championships, Kaufman was the top-ranked high jumper in the country and had the No. 3 mark among all Americans this season. She was the only Rainbow Wahine competing in the meet.