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WINONA, Minn. — Two years ago, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Jovan Newsum (Glendale Heights, Ill.) earned his first trip to the NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships.
 
And reaching the national stage was a memorable experience unto itself.
 
Saturday afternoon, the Cardinal senior will once again be toeing the line with the nation's best—having qualified for his second NCAA national championships appearance with a sixth-place effort at the NCAA Central Regional.
 
But this time around, just getting there isn't enough.
 
"This is my last race ever, and I want to go out and give it everything I have," said Newsum. "But my race strategy is going to be the same as it is for every race. It may be a different course and different competition, but it's still an 8K race, just like all the others.
 
"It just happens to be on a bigger stage."
 
And Newsum has proven over the years that he's at his best in the season's biggest races.
 
Two years ago, Newsum turned in his then-best performance of the season at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, touring the eight-kilometer Como Park Course in a team-best time of 26:06 to place 16th overall—earning the Cardinal sophomore honorable-mention all-conference honors.
 
And two weeks later, Newsum was at his best—again—running the fastest eight-kilometer time in school history, posting an all-region time of 25:40 at the NCAA Central Regional to finish 25th overall.
 
As good as those two big-meet showings were, they paled in comparison to what Newsum accomplished this season.
 
At the MIAC Championships on Oct. 29, Newsum turned in the highest conference place finish in Cardinal history, clocking an eight-kilometer time of 26:08 to finish third overall—and collect his first-ever First-Team All-MIAC honor.
 
Two weeks later at the NCAA Central Regional, he was at it again, making that third-place All-MIAC performance look like a walk in the park. Newsum toured the eight-kilometer course in 25:38 (the second-fastest time in program history) en route to a sixth-place finish and his second all-region honor—not to mention another invitation to compete on the national stage.
 
"(The regional race) is all a bit of a blur," admitted Newsum, whose 25:38 at the Central Regional is second only to his school-record time of 25;24, set at the 2014 national championships. "I never thought I would be capable of pulling off a kick like I did over the last 800 meters. I was able to catch so many people, and when I saw that I finished sixth overall, it was a little shocking.
 
"I gave it everything I had, because who knew if it was going to be my last or not."
 
Fortunately for Newsum, it wasn't.
 
But Saturday's race will be, and Newsum is well aware of that.
 
"This is it—my last race—and I want it to be my best yet," Newsum said. "I appreciate all the support from everyone—students, staff, faculty, the athletic department and my teammates—throughout this journey.
 
"I never thought I would be in this position again," Newsum added. "But in reality, this isn't about me, it's about the program, and all who have worked hard every day to make it better. I hope I have been proof that, with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
 
"It's a great honor to get a second chance to run at nationals, and I'm ready to make the most of it."