Champaign native Voldy Makabu is soaring to new heights in his debut season with Illinois State track and field—and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

A standout from Centennial High School, Makabu made his mark early, securing three top-ten finishes at the IHSA state meet as a Charger. Now, as a freshman with the Redbirds, he's already turning heads on the collegiate stage.

His indoor season was electric: Makabu cleared an impressive 2.12 meters at the Windy City Invite in Chicago to claim the win. Outdoors, he kept the momentum going, jumping 2.11 meters for a third-place finish at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

"His over-the-bar technique has improved significantly," said Illinois State head coach Jeff Bovee. "His pop off the ground looks fantastic."

Bovee isn't shy about Makabu's potential, hinting that clearing the 7-foot mark before the end of his freshman season wouldn't come as a surprise. "His consistency is what you really see a big difference in, too," the coach added.

When Bovee recruited Makabu out of Centennial, he saw raw talent and immense promise. Now, that potential is unfolding in real time.

"He's still very new to the sport, and he's got tremendous vertical abilities," Bovee said. "He loves the sport. He loves to compete. When you combine all those things, you're going to see some special things. Who knows how far he gets? But I know he's got his eye on getting to Eugene for Nationals this year. He wants to be there now. I think it's a real possibility."

Next up for Makabu and the Redbirds: the Missouri Valley Conference meet in Terre Haute, Indiana, on May 16-17. With his soaring confidence and sky-high potential, all eyes will be on this young jumper as he aims for the biggest stage in collegiate track.