DeKalb — Hope Schmelzle, senior track and field distance runner, knows she’s one of the best runners in the nation.

The senior became NIU’s first Women’s Track and Field All-American when she ran a race time of 9:55.49 to place sixth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 10 in Eugene, Oregon. It’s the second fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase time in school history.

Schmelzle has a calm confidence that radiates when watching her run or listening to her talk about her sport, and it can make a person believe she is one of the best without having to look at the numbers or statistics that prove she is.

Schmelzle said confidence, along with a positive attitude, are truly key and why she had such historic year in her senior season. Schmelzle set the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:50.51 during the preliminary round of the NCAA Championships June 8. Her first-place finish in the preliminary round was nearly a 14-second improvement from her 10:04.17 race time at the Drake Relays April 27-29, which at the time was a school record.

Part of what motivates Schmelzle is knowing there’s more she can accomplish. She was disappointed in the way her track and field season ended last year at regionals, missing qualifying for the National Championships by two spots and the opportunity to become an All-American.

Schmelzle, a junior at the time, made a promise with her coach, Adrian Myers, they’d do everything they could to unsure that was the last time she didn’t qualify for the National Championships.

“Basically, [we committed] to each other we’re going to do everything to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Myers said. “That was our two-way accountability clause, that I’m not going to let you give up on yourself and you’re not going to give up on yourself.”

Schmelzle had a strong start to her senior year. The year started in the fall with cross country, where she set the school’s fastest 6k time of 20:16.9 at the NCAA Midwest Regional Nov. 11. The senior finished third and became NIU’s first cross country National Qualifier.

Schmelzle’s cross country season concluded with a 20:51.3 finish at the NCAA National Championships Nov. 19, but Schmelzle was disappointed because she didn’t reach her goal of becoming an All-American.

Being the competitor she is and knowing she’s one of the country’s best, Schmelzle fully committed to the goal of achieving All-American status for the track and field season, which started with indoor track and field.

Schmelzle set the school record in the mile run and placed first with a 2:08.67 race time in the 800-meter race at the Grand Valley State Big Meet Feb. 10, setting another school record.

For the outdoor season, Schmelzle improved upon her previous school record in the 1,500-meter race with a 4:21.5 finish at Baylor University’s Michael Johnson Classic April 22.

Schmelzle took first place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and in the 1,500-meter race at the Mid-American Conference Championships May 11-13, where she also earned the MAC Most Outstanding Female Athlete award.

She qualified for the NCAA Championship after finishing third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA West Region Preliminary May 26, where she currently holds the school record.

Though Schmelzle finished sixth in the National Championships and accomplished her goal of becoming an All-American this year, she knows she can still accomplish more in her sport.

She’s preparing for the U.S. Championships taking place June 22-25 in Sacramento, California where she’ll wear a NIU uniform one last time.

“As happy as I am to be All-American, I know that there’s more there, so it keeps me hungry for more,” Schmelzle said. “I don’t think sixth place is my max, but it truly is an accomplishment to be All-American against those competitors because they are fantastic as well.”

Correction: This story originally said the U.S. Championships began on June 22, which was incorrect. The story has been changed to reflect the correct information.