ASHLEY MELVIN: RETURNING FOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS
 
Ashley Melvin, a senior on the Milwaukee women's track and field team, was off to an unstoppable start to what everyone expected to be her final campaign in 2020. Despite standing only 5-foot-4, she broke the high jump school record four times during the indoor season (to 5-foot, 10-inches), won the Horizon League Indoor High Jump title, and was named the League's Athlete of the Year.
 
From the outside looking in, it's hard to imagine what could be going on in her head before each jump. With a few months of time having passed and in the rearview mirror, now is the opportunity to take a look back inside the mind of Ashley Melvin during each of her record-breaking performances.
 
JANUARY 11, 2020: Melvin first opened up the indoor season with a tie of the 17-year-old school high jump record at 1.71m (5-7 1/4) at the Gene Edmonds Invite.
 
"It was my first meet back competing healthy," Melvin said, "I was thankful for that alone and going into the meet I felt very prepared mentally and physically. I didn't put a lot of pressure on myself, but I did have the goal to jump 5-7 or better. When I had the opportunity to do better, I told myself I could do this and trusted my body."
 
JANUARY 18, 2020: One week later at the Tierney Classic home opener, Melvin outdid herself to break the school record again at 1.72m (5-7 3/4).
 
"I had set the goal to beat the record again. I wanted to jump 5-8 or 5-9. I was very excited for a home meet. I was comfortable on my home turf and was very excited to compete. I had mentally rehearsed what the day would look like, and when it came to 1.72m I knew I could do it, I stepped up to my mark took a deep breath and just did it."
 
FEBRUARY 1, 2020: When February came around, Melvin truly shined. The senior high jumper demolished the school record once again at the ONU Invite, this time at 1.77m (5-9 3/4).
 
"I was hungry for more! I knew I had it in me to jump higher.  Initially, I was going to take this meet off, but something told me to keep pushing more, and that I knew something big was going to happen. Seeing how consistent I was so far in the season, that usually meant a PR was coming, and I was right. That day I really surprised myself. This day was very memorable. When the bar was at 1.74m, I had all the confidence in the world, stepped up to the line and just jumped. When I had made it, I was happy, and I jumped off the mat with Coach Basler there to congratulate me.
 
When the bar was raised to 1.77m I was excited for the challenge and didn't focus on the height, I focused on what my body needed to do to achieve this height.  I knew I had the height, but I would need to follow through with big knee drive and patience. When the moment came, a rush of chills went through my body, I just knew I would make it. When I jumped up and turned my back towards the bar, I could see that I had already cleared the bar and fell onto the mat with joy. I stood up and held back my tears of joy and rushed to hug Coach Basler."
 
FEBRUARY 15, 2020: But Melvin wasn't done yet. Two weeks later at the GVSU Big Meet, she cleared the bar at 1.78m (5-10) to re-set the school record for the fourth time in just one season.
 
"GVSU Big Meet was also very memorable. I had gone in wanting to break my record again.  I had spent the week mentally preparing how I would achieve this goal through meditation in the afternoon and visualization at night. This was always one of my favorite places to jump and for the past couple years, I had been a champion at this meet. While warming up, I felt loose and had an abundance of energy, I just knew it was going to be another great day. I was very consistent again that day. When the bar was raised to 1.78m and I missed the first two attempts, I remember talking with Coach Basler and saying that I knew I could do this and he said, 'then go do it.' This gave me the reassurance to get this height on my last attempt. I stepped up to my mark. Took a deep breath as chills ran through my body again.  My mind was blank and as I ran to the bar everything felt like it was in slow motion. My knee came across my body and as I turned my back to the bar, I knew I had made it before my whole body was over. It was another celebratory moment."
 
MARCH 1, 2020: She proved to be the best in the Horizon League all season long and she emphasized that at the Horizon League Indoor Championships by winning the League High Jump title easily at 1.73m. But Melvin didn't just end there as she jacked the bar up to 1.81m.
 
"That day I was super consistent again. I had my sights set on nationals so jacking the bar up to 1.81m would have qualified me for nationals. At this point I had nothing to lose and didn't want to spend my energy on other heights."
 
After such a remarkable indoor season, Melvin was ready to push herself further and continue her domination into the outdoor season.
 
"I was most excited about using the momentum I had from an amazing indoor season to make outdoor just as great or greater. I had the goal to break the outdoor school record, which was 1.74m, as well as qualify for regionals and then go to nationals."
 
Unfortunately, the outdoor season was officially canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and her goals were put on hold.
 
"After learning that my collegiate career was potentially over, I was upset. I had worked so hard to get where I am at and had such good momentum going. I was improving almost every meet, so I was excited to see where outdoor would take me. All the uncertainty left me uneasy, but I had realized that even though the season was cut, no one could take the passion I have for high jump away. I knew there would be another day I would step onto the track again, and that motivated me to keep fighting for my dreams. It still does."
 
Luckily, the opportunity of having another year of eligibility presented itself quickly when the NCAA ruled to allow spring seniors the opportunity to return for their final campaigns. Melvin couldn't pass up the chance.
 
"I decided I wanted to stay a whole year in order to do track. It wasn't a hard decision. I had such a good indoor season and that momentum, I just strongly felt I couldn't end like that. I have so much more in me, and I feel the need to explore that. I didn't want to look back later in life and regret not trying.
 
Next year, I am looking to break the outdoor school record of 1.74m. I am looking to qualify for NCAA Regionals and then go to NCAA Outdoor Championships. I am also looking to get a mark for the Olympic trials throughout this process."
 
Stay tuned because Ashley Melvin will be back in 2021 as she has unfinished business as a Panther.