Women's track: The state record was just a starting point

Hope Schmelzle and Erin Herrmann are connected to girls track and field state history.

Five years ago at the Class 3A finals, Schmelzle and Herrmann teamed with Amy Yong and McKenna Kiple to become the only Illinois 3,200-meter relay quartet to break nine minutes in the history of the event.

"It has to rank as my best memory of my coaching career," longtime Wheaton Warrenville South girls cross country and track coach Rob Harvey said.

The 2013 WW South graduates have completed their respective collegiate careers academically, but the former teammates share a unique distinction.

Schmelzle and Herrmann are among the top American women in the nation in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

"It does not surprise me a bit they gravitated toward the steeple," Harvey said. "They are athletes."

Herrmann was a Division III national runner-up in the event as a junior at Holland, Michigan-based Hope College.

But Herrmann completed her collegiate career with a national-championship time in the event at 10 minutes, 21.08 seconds in Louisville, Kentucky, last weekend.

Schmelzle will compete for the Division I national championship next week in the steeplechase at Eugene, Oregon, representing Northern Illinois University.

The Huskies' lone national representative has a personal-best time of 10:04.3 in the event.

"It actually took a long time to sink in," Herrmann said of her national championship. "All through college, I had a dream to be a national champion. I qualified all four years. I was actually in disbelief (when I won). It was super exciting."

Schmelzle and Herrmann will forever recall their days as high school teammates.

"I just remember (Herrmann) as being fearless," Schmelzle said.

"I always looked up to (Schmelzle) even though we were the same age," Herrmann said.

The women had very similar introductions to the steeplechase, a track event that has hurdles and water hazards to circumvent.

"My freshman year, my coach (Mark Northuis) told me I would be a good steepler," Herrmann said. "I fell in love with the event."

"I think we should try you in this event," Schmelzle said Purdue coach Dave Hartman told her as a freshman. "The next thing I knew I fell in love with it."

Schmelzle has been a groundbreaking female athlete at Northern Illinois University.

Last fall Schmelzle became the first woman in school history to qualify for the national cross country championship.

In the waning stages of the regular season, Schmelzle returned to her roots in the 800 and set a school record in 2:05.93.

It came as no surprise to Harvey.

"Hope Schmelzle is defined by one thing: she hates to lose more than she likes to win," Harvey said.

"The sky is the limit," Schmelzle said of her expectations in the Pacific Northwest next week. "I want to end my collegiate career on a positive note. So many opportunities (in the steeplechase) have opened up."

Herrmann is an aspiring teacher. Schmelzle, a psychology major, will likely attend graduate school next fall.