WAVERLY, Iowa — When Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) toed the line for the start of the 100 hurdles — the first event of the heptathlon at the NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships — it marked the fifth time her illustrious career that the Saint Mary's University senior was among the national championship field.

But that doesn't make it any easier.

"Mentally, I think I am in a better position than I was (in her first-ever national championships as a freshman)," said Dingels, who jumped out to a sixth-place showing after Thursday's first four events of the two-day, seven-event heptathlon at Wartburg College. "But physically, it doesn't matter how many times you've been here — it's different every time.

"I'm pretty happy with where I'm at," continued Dingels, who placed seventh in the heptathlon as a sophomore, before an knee injury sidelined her for all of the track season a year ago. "There were a couple of events I would have liked to have done a bit better in, but overall, it's OK."

OK?

Considering that Dingels' sixth-place total of 2,842 points is just one point out of fourth — an less than 100 points out of first — the SMU senior should be thrilled with her Day 1 effort.

"I was hoping for a top five finish (after the first day) — so one point out of fourth is pretty darn good," said SMU coach Kirk Nauman, whose senior is also within striking distance of first-day leader Jillian Crandall of UW-River Falls, who boasts a 2,932-point total. "Ashley's put herself in a solid position — with another day like this tomorrow, she could easily bring home All-American honors."

A top-eight finish — and the All-America honors that go with it — would be nice, but Dingels admits that she's looking for bigger and better things.

"My goal is always the same, to go out and perform to the best of my ability," said Dingels, a two-time Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pentathlon and heptathlon champion. "(The heptathlon) is a tough event, but it's nothing I can't handle — I've run three, four or five events in a number of meets this season, so this isn't anything new. I'm feeling pretty good (heading into Friday's final three events) — we'll just have to see what happens."

Dingels opened the day by picking up 711 points in the 100 hurdles, clocking a season-best time of 16.03. She followed that up with a 785-point showing in the high jump, where she bowed out at 5-5, then totaled 614 points in the shot put (37-1/4) and 722 points in the 200 (26.88).

"I was happy with the hurdles and the 200, but I thought I could have done a little better in the high jump and the shot," said Dingels, who will get another shot at the high jump when she competes in the high jump's open event Friday afternoon. "This meet is much tougher than the conference (championships). (At the MIAC) you know all the people you are competing with and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Here, you have no idea about your competition, which makes it pretty tough."

"When you come into this meet, you never really know what to expect — from your athletes or the rest of the field," said Nauman, noting that the 4,688-point total that Dingels put up in winning the MIAC heptathlon — and qualifying her for the NCAA championships — was the second-best total in the entire nation. "It doesn't really matter what you did in the past — all that did was get you to this point. Once your here, it's a whole new ball game. Some athletes rise up big time, and others fall big time.

"There are 19 women here all trying to prove one thing — that they are the best heptathlete in the nation over these two days."

And with just 100 points — and three events — between her and the No. 1 spot, Dingels certainly is throwing her hat into the ring.