DeKALB — Hope Schmelzle, senior track and field runner, is headed to the NCAA Championships June 7 in Eugene, Oregon.

Schmelzle recorded her second fastest 3,000 meter steeplechase with a time of 10:04:37 at the Mid-American Conference west region preliminaries May 26 which qualified her for the NCAA Championships. Schmelzle finished third in the steeplechase event behind Allie Ostrander, a Boise State University freshman and Grayson Murphy, a University of Utah junior.

“Hope is, again, showing everyone that you can come to [NIU] and compete among the nation’s elite,” said NIU assistant coach Adrian Myers, according to NIU Media Services. “We’re not done, and we’ve got big expectations for Eugene. Hope is ready.”

On top of breaking steeplechase records, Schmelzle was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District team on May 25 and has earned two MAC scholar athlete of the week awards throughout the season.

Schmelzle looks to break more records as she prepares for potentially her last event as a Huskie in the NCAA Championships, which will take place June 7-10 in Eugene, Oregon.