"A few years back, everyone thought, 'You've got to be tall to get over those hurdles.,”She's not your prototypical steeplechase runner. Described as "5-foot-2 on a good day," junior Jayne Grebinski makes up for her size with athleticism, speed and pure determination.

"A few years back, everyone thought, 'You've got to be tall to get over those hurdles.' Not really," said Mike Nelson, who is the Marquette cross country coach as well as an assistant track coach. "You've got to be athletic. You've got to have athleticism and acceleration and be able to carry your momentum. And you've got to be good at that 3000-meter distance.

"Well, Jayne has all that."

And she's proved it, too. Competing in the 3000-meter steeplechase for the very first time just a week and a half ago, Grebinski obliterated the competition with her time of 10:37.06, over 42 seconds faster than the next finisher. The time earned her an NCAA qualifying mark, and four days later, she was named the first ever Marquette Big East Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week.

"I was really surprised. I thought coach was joking when he told me," Grebinski said of her award. "I know I had a really good race and I'm really happy with that, but the Big East has so many amazing athletes, so I just feel incredibly honored."

A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Grebinski has a family history rooted in track. Her father, John, was a hurdler himself in high school. She credits him for really getting her involved in running.

"He enrolled me in a track club and I immediately fell in with the long distance crew," she said. "He was a little disappointed I wasn't a hurdler, which is funny now that I'm doing steeplechase."

As an international business and accounting major, Grebinski doesn't often find free time. "You have to schedule it in," she said. But some of her favorite activities are cooking and spending time with her teammates and roommates. They'll make things from pizzas to pasta to crepes.

"Cooking is our social time of the day," Grebinski said. "It's time to relax and talk."

But when she is in training, there is no relaxation — just a full-out effort to get better each and every day.

"Jayne's a great leader; she really leads by example," sophomore Olivia Johnson said. "She goes out there with a hard ethic and puts everything into practice."

A school record holder in the 5,000-meters and in the distance medley relay, Grebinski is now in second all-time in Marquette history in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, just behind former All-American Brianna Dahm.

"It's a really tough record (to break) because it was set by Brianna," she said. "However, I think I can do it. It really comes down to physical fitness, and I think I am in the best shape of my life right now."

And along with her own self-confidence, she has the full support of her teammates and coaches.

"I think the sky's the limit for Jayne," coach Bert Rogers said. "I think she's matured and now it's really coming together for her. She's a talented young lady I think the steeplechase with that distance is great for her."

Whether she breaks more records or not, Grebinski is just happy to be along for the run. She cherishes the opportunity she has been given.

"I love being an athlete because it brings something else to the day than just school," she said. "If I had a bad day, I can go and just run it out.

"I think I'll run forever. For sure."

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