In her second season wearing cardinal and black, women’s track and field sophomore distance runner Ali Olson has seen low marks across the board and has made a solid impact.

With freshman mistakes, injuries and nervousness behind her, Olson has a confidence on the track that has impressed her coaches.

“There is a different maturity level with her,” said distance coach Greg Hipp. “She’s much more confident in her running ability. Obviously confidence is something that we talk about a lot, and that’s been the biggest difference-maker for her.”

Last weekend, Olson participated in the 3,000-meter steeplechase event for the first time in her NIU career at the EIU Big Meet.

The special thing about that event is not only do the athletes have to run a long distance race, but they have to account for four steeplechase barriers and a fifth one that has a barrier with a 12-foot water pit in front of it on each lap.

Olson overcame the nervousness the event presented and had a nice showing in the field of 12 competitors, finishing in second place, breaking the tape at 11:02.26.

Olson said with more practice in the event she can have even better results later on in the year.

“I thought I could have ran a little bit faster, but it’s just a matter of getting used to the race and how your body is going to feel,” Olson said. “I didn’t really know how tired I was going to get with the hurdles and everything, but next time I’ll be able to execute it a lot better because I know what it’s going to feel like.”

Earlier this year, Olson qualified for the Indoor MAC Championships for the second straight season, but this time she participated in the mile, where she ran a career-best 4:55.89 to take seventh out of 20 runners during the March 1 MAC Championships.

This wasn’t the only event Olson made her mark in, as she was also a leg in the distance medley relay squad with teammates Julianne Cronin, Hannah Savage and Meghan Heuer, who together broke the previous program mark in the event.

Olson’s 2012-13 outdoor season was derailed early due to injury, but before going down she was able to get into the NIU record books with her 4:47.19 leg in the 4-by-1,500-meter relay with Savage, Heuer and Claire McAuley during last season’s Raleigh Relays.

Olson only ran in one other race in her freshman season outdoor campaign before she was forced to sit out due to a stress fracture in her right heel.

With her injury problems behind her and another season of cross country and indoor track under her belt, the New Auburn, Wis., is looking to continue the season she’s having.

Hipp said this is just the beginning, and the future is bright for his standout distance runner.

“There is no doubt that Ali has the potential to leave with a lot of accolades,” Hipp said. “She just has to stay focused on a season at a time and keep progressing her training, and she could find herself with some pretty impressive credentials when she graduates.”