Runners evolve as they mature. Yesterday's middle-distance performers are today's 3,000-meter steeplechasers. Sprinters morph into middle-distance runners.

Kate DeGeorge went to Thiel College in Greenville, Mercer County, as a sprinter. Her specialties were the longer sprints -- the 200- and 400-meter dashes -- and it didn't take long for her to put her name in the Tomcats record book.

As a freshman, she set a school indoor record for the 600-meter dash of 1 minute, 50.48 seconds and ran a leg on the indoor 640-meter relay that recorded a 1:27.89. Outdoors, she was on Thiel's 400-meter relay that set a record of 49.40.

This past school year, DeGeorge put her name in the school record book three more times. During the indoor season, she ran 500 meters in 1:25.35 and was on the 1,600-meter relay that ran 4:01.56. Outdoors, she was apart of the 1,600 relay that recorded a 3:54.12 and just missed going to the NCAA Division III championships.

With accomplishments such as those in two years, it would make sense to keep DeGeorge in the long sprints, right?

Well, that probably isn't going to happen.

Although this Butler Area High School graduate was doing well in the long sprints this past season, she also showed her prowess in the 800-meter run.

"I think that's going to be her race," Thiel track coach Clyde Morgan said. "She's tall and has a long stride, which helps in that race, plus she still has that 400-meter speed. She just ran out of meets [in the 800] because she was really starting to get into it."

Thiel's school record in the outdoor 800 is 2:25.8 set by Erin Rogers in 2001. DeGeorge ran a 2:28.26 in the 800 and placed fifth at the Presidents' Athletic Conference championships at Grove City College in May. It was only the fifth time she ran the 800.

"In high school, I ran the 800 but only as a part of the 3,200 relay. I never ran the open 800," DeGeorge said.

She started to run the 800 this year almost by accident. Thiel competed in the Emory University Invitational in Atlanta early in the outdoor season. Teams could enter just their top three in events, which would have left DeGeorge out except ...

"We were a little thin this year in middle-distance people and coach Morgan asked if I'd give [the 800] a try," DeGeorge said. "I said, 'I'll run it,' and I think I did all right."

Her time was 2:35.58, nothing spectacular overall, but pretty good for someone who had not run the race before.

"She did well for really not knowing how to run it," Morgan said. "We decided to use her in it some more."

The 800 is a tactical race, although it is becoming more and more like a two-lap sprint. DeGeorge had to learn to be patient and wait until there were about 150 or 200 meters remaining before using her speed.

"Coach told me to just hang close until there were about 200 meters left and then I'm a 400 runner," DeGeorge said. "Once I figured things out, my times started to drop."

In fact, DeGeorge was angry with herself that she didn't break the Thiel outdoor record in the 800.

What's interesting is that while she was running the 800 in meets, she was also doing the 200-meter dash as well. For an individual to run the 200 and 800 in the same meet is a rare combination.

"Coach would give us our assignments the day before a meet and the first time he told me the 200 and 800, people laughed," DeGeorge said. "It is a little strange, but I got used to it."

She placed 12th in the 200 in 28.32 at the PAC championships, and at the Elete IUP Open she was eighth in the 800 and 10th in the 200.

The disappointing part of the outdoor season for DeGeorge is that Thiel's 1,600-meter relay did not qualify for the Division III championships. Relays with the best 16 times in the Division III ranks went to the finals and Thiel was edged out just before championships.

"There was a last-chance meet in Wisconsin and a school ran a better time than us and bumped us to 17th or 18th," she said. "It was disappointing to get that close and then not go."

This summer, DeGeorge is working at a camp for learning disabled youths during the day and at a store at the Clearview Mall two or three nights a week and on weekends. She is usually in the gym by 5:30 a.m. working out and also manages to get in a 40-minute training run six days a week.

She is more determined than ever to make the Division III championship meet on the 1,600 relay or maybe the 800.

With that in mind, she also plans to run cross country. Thiel is bringing back its cross country program for men and women this fall.

"I never ran cross country in high school," she said. "I've always been able to go out and run for like 40 minutes, so I should be OK. I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it when I go back and it should help give me a good base for the indoor season."

Morgan said he could see DeGeorge moving up another step at some point in her college career and running the 1,600.

After all, it would be a natural progression.