NDSU

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Five-time NCAA Division II national champion and 13-time NCAA All-American...18-time North Central Conference champion including 12 individual titles and six 4x400 relay teams...Six-time indoor All-American, placing first in the 800 meters in 2004 and winning the 4x400 relay in 2002 and 2004...Also placed fifth in the 800 meters and sixth in the 4x400 relay in 2003, and was seventh in the 4x400 relay in 2001...Seven-time outdoor All-American...Won the 800 meters in 2004 and 400-meter hurdles in 2003...Part of four All-America 4x400 relays outdoors including second-place finishes in 2002 and 2004...Also placed third in the 400 hurdles in 2002...Member of the NCAA Division II indoor championship team and outdoor runner-up team in 2002...NCC indoor champion in the 400, 500 three times, 800, 1000, and 4x400 relay three times...NCC outdoor champion in the 400, 800, 1500, 400 hurdles three times, and 4x400 relay three times...Holds the all-time NDSU indoor 500-meter record with a time of 1:12.97 in 2004...Bison Sports Arena record in the 500 meters with a time of 1:14.31 in 2004...Previously held the school indoor records in the 600, 800, 1000 and 4x400 relay, and school outdoor records in the 800, 400 hurdles, 4x400 relay and 4x800 relay...NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner in 2004...CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2004...Four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree...Seven-time Class B state champion for Hillsboro High School, where she also participated in volleyball and was Class B Player of the Year in basketball...Graduated from NDSU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and 2007 with a master’s degree in school counseling...Resides in St. Michael, Minn., where she and her husband, former NDSU track and football athlete Jared Essler, both work at St. Michael-Albertville High School...Has three children, Carter, McKenna and Kira.