EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana senior All-American Mary Ballinger will run both the mile and the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships March 12-13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Ballinger, who was named the GLVC Female Track Athlete of the Year after winning a pair of GLVC titles last weekend, is ranked fourth in the mile and 14th in the 5,000 meters.

In two previous trips to the NCAA Indoor Championships, Ballinger has garnered a pair of All-America honors in the 5,000 meters and another in the distance medley relay. She finished second in the 5,000 meters in 2008 and third in 2009.

Friday's preliminary round in the mile will be the first time Ballinger has competed in the event at the national meet. She posted an automatic qualifying time of four minutes, 53.53 seconds, at the Indiana University Relays earlier in January and had a season-best 5,000-meter time of 17 minutes, 2.56 seconds at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet last month.

Ballinger is looking to become the Screaming Eagles' first two-time national champion after winning the title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase last May. She has continued her story-book career at USI by earning GLVC Runner of the Year honors as well as GLVC Student-Athlete of the Year accolades in cross country.

The food and nutrition major went on to finish fifth at the NCAA II Cross Country Championships last November and has been named the GLVC Track Athlete of the Week three times during the indoor season.

Ballinger's quest for a second national championship begins March 12 with the mile prelims at 5:20 p.m. (CST). The finals for the mile are March 13 at 4:30 p.m., while the 5,000 meters will be run March 13 at 6:35 p.m.