Johnathan Jones to Fulfill Dream, Cap Little Rock Career Friday at NCAA Championships

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – It has been quite the season for Johnathan Jones. He won his second conference championship (in his second conference, no less), recorded a 4.0 grade point average and received his degree. Now he will see another dream come to life Friday evening when he competes at the NCAA Championships.
 
For Jones, it is the culmination of four years (three seasons thanks to COVID) worth of hard work. The hometown product – he graduated from Little Rock Central High School – finally will compete on the largest collegiate stage as he advances to the NCAA Championships in the high jump with the semifinal round getting underway at 7:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN+.
 
"It means everything," Jones said of advancing to the NCAA Championships on his third try. "It's just childhood dreams coming to life. I'm able to do it with Little Rock on my jersey instead of all those big names. Now we're doing it here and I'm doing it in my town. So, it means a lot to me to do this and lots of my friends, family and everybody that believes in me."


 
Don't think for a second that Jones will be satisfied with just making an appearance. He is a young man focused the opportunity in front of him and there is plenty of confidence in what he could do under the lights at Myers Stadium in Austin. Thanks to a few small adjustments from a new voice, Jones will have that opportunity.
 
"Some of the things that he was doing was kind of causing some injuries," said Ray Doakes, the Trojans' first-year jumps coach. "So, we made simple adjustments when it comes to those type of things. But at the same time, once he got those adjusted, and he started kind of adjusting to the practices in the workouts, I could see what was coming. And I can tell you right now, he will be effective at the NCAA Championships this year."
 
If there is anyone that should know that possibility, it is Doakes. Joining the Little Rock staff in October, Doakes begins his collegiate coaching career in the Capital City after an accomplished professional career, twice winning a Diamond Spike Meet and also claiming bronze in the World University Games. He also holds the school record in Fayetteville in the high jump and was a six-time First Team All-American for the Razorbacks.
 
Jones, who holds the Little Rock school records in the high jump both indoors and outdoors, had qualified for this third consecutive NCAA West Prelims this year before finally breaking through to advance. Not bad for a kid that was just trying to compete with his older brother.
 
"[The high jump] was a way to compete with my older brother," Jones explained. "He could always jump really high so this was my way of showing him that I can catch up and get to him too. That's why I stuck with it."
 
As his career has progressed, so has his confidence in himself. Jones entered his senior year at Little Rock with the goal of winning a conference title and reaching the NCAA Championships, something no other Trojan athlete has done in a field event. Now he heads to Austin trying to fulfill a promise he made to himself – to check that last box on his collegiate career.
 
"Faith," Jones said of what has allowed him to make it to the NCAA Championships this year. "As I've been believing in myself, believing in what my coaches have been telling me and just trusting them. And they trust me. Knowing that this was my last year, senior year here, I put it all on the table. I had a lot of promises and a lot of shoes to fill. And I'm still trying to fill in my last promise here."
 
Regardless of his athletic achievements Friday, Jones will have plenty to hang his hat on following the competition. Finishing your degree and recording a 4.0 grade point average in your final semester while competing in track and field and winning a conference championship is no easy task.
 
"He is like a true success story," Director of Track and Field/Cross Country, Head Coach J.P. Behnke said of Jones. "Look at how it started with JJ - he came in as an academic redshirt, and he's finished his career with a chance to be an Academic All American. He is going on to grad school after this. I am just really impressed with what he has done the last four years, not just on the track but in the classroom, but all while being one of our team leaders. He has been the living backbone of our program the last few years."
 
For the latest information on Little Rock Track & Field, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockTFXC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
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