RELEASED: June 3, 2004

DANVILLE, KY—Rising sophomore Eileen Schilling from Louisville continues to run her way to success. The young woman who never won a race in high school just competed in the NCAA Division III National Championships at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Seeded 20th before the race last Thursday, Schilling finished 11th in the 10,000-meter run—just shy of All-American status.

"As a freshman, that's pretty good," says Lisa Owens, head track and field coach at Centre. "She defeated runners who beat her in the fall."

And at 85 pounds, Schilling proved that size doesn't matter when it comes to achieving big accomplishments.

She broke the Centre records in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs this year with times of 18:10 and 37:40, respectively.

She also set the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference record for the 10,000-meter run.

"She's becoming a better, more experienced runner," Owens says. "She's very competitive."

Schilling was team MVP this year, an honor Owens says rarely goes to a distance runner. To achieve it, Schilling had to win or come in second in every race she ran, which she did.

"She's a late bloomer," Owens says. "She's improved her time every year, and I think her better years are ahead of her."

Owens says that Schilling is already talking about her goals for next year. She wants to be All-American in track and qualify in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs.

"She's just a fine young woman," Owens says. "She's extremely coachable and never complains. Those types of people are hard to find and to have one be your top athlete is a coach's dream. "

Schilling also competes on Centre's cross-country team. This past fall, Schilling not only broke Centre's school record but broke several course records and achieved All-American status at nationals.

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