DECATUR, Ill. — All season long, Ellen Koranda (Blue Earth, Minn.) has been a record-setting machine for the Saint Mary's University track and field team.

In fact, in each of her first 10 meets this season, the SMU sophomore has broken a school record.

Thursday afternoon at Millikin University, on the nation's biggest stage — the NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships — Koranda's record-setting streak came to a screeching halt.

And she couldn't be happier.

Koranda didn't break her own school record when she broke the tape in 4:43.81 during the 1,500 trials — but that was the least her concerns.

You see, while her time wasn't a school record, it was more than enough to get Koranda into Saturday's 12-person final field.

And that's way more satisfying than any school record.

"It feels pretty good," admitted Koranda of her performance. "(Going into the race) I didn't really expect to make it to the finals, so that's pretty exciting. I was a little disappointed with the time, I know I can run faster than that, but it was good enough to make the finals, so I'm happy."

So is coach Kirk Nauman.

"I'm really excited for Ellen," Nauman said. "This is the type of race that you really don't run for time, but rather for position. Ellen's time wasn't that great, but it was good enough to get her in the finals, and that's what's important."

Now, Koranda will use Friday as a way to relax — watch teammates Jenny Folgers (McHenry, Ill.) and Todd Yankowski (Chicago, Ill.) compete in the 100 hurdles and decathlon, respectively — and get ready for Saturday's race.

"I don't have anything to lose," Koranda said. "I'm going into the final seeded 12th out of 12, so I can't do any worse. I'm just going to go out there and do my best."

Yankowski kicked off his first-ever national championship appearance Thursday, picking up 3,192 points through the first five events of the 10-event decathlon. The reigning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference decathlon champion (and, of course, the school record-holder in the event), placed fourth in the 100 (11.71), 13th in the long jump (19-9 1/2), fifth in the shot put (40-9), 13th in the high jump (5-6 1/2) and seventh in the 400 (52.08) in posting his first-day total.

"Todd is sitting pretty good — he's right about where we figured he'd be," said Nauman. "It was a good first day for him. He went into the second day (at the North Central Last-Chance Meet, where Yankowski set a new school record with 6,191 points) with 3,214 points, so he's not far off that pace."