School records stand no chance of remaining intact with sophomore Alicia Harris running for Eastern’s track and field team.

Harris broke the 200 meter dash record Saturday at the Butler meet and the 400 meter sprint record the week before at the Indiana meet. She ran the 200 in 25.33 seconds to beat the record of 25.34. In the 400 meter sprint, Harris turned in a time of 56.32 seconds to break the old record of 56.74 seconds.

For her record-breaking performances in the past week, Harris has been named this week’s Top Cat.

Harris, from Wheaton, Ill., ran for Wheaton North High school.

Harris ran a wide array of events in high school from sprinting to mid-distance, but nothing over an 800 meter run.

Harris said she modeled her athleticism after her father.

“I just look at my dad, and he was a great athlete in college, and he encourages me to do what I do in track,” Harris said.

Harris said her brother’s athletic ability is another reason she stays focused and motivated. He plays football at Northern Illinois and Harris said he is very successful in it.

She wanted success in something too.

“I am a girl so I could not play football, so I have to be successful in something else,” Harris said.

Women’s track and field head coach Mary Wallace said Harris is extremely dedicated to her sport.

“She works extremely hard and does more than just practice,” Wallace said. “She goes on morning runs and it is starting to pay off. She is dedicated to running fast.”

Harris is a team leader focused on track and making the team better.

“I try to motivate my teammates because we have a chance to win championships,” Harris said.

Wallace is also hopeful about the leadership Harris exudes when she is running.

“To have a young leader would help the women’s track & field team,” Wallace said.

Wallace also said she hopes Harris can pull some of her teammates along with her so Eastern can compete at the Ohio Valley Conference meet in a couple of weeks.

Junior sprinter Lexie Nuckolls said Harris is steadily improving. Nuckolls is a teammate of Harris and is a fellow 200 meter dash runner.

“She is going to be one of the top competitors at the conference meet in a couple of weeks,” Nuckolls said.

The Conference meet is Feb. 28 and March 1 at Lantz Field house.

Men’s track and field head coach Tom Akers said Harris doesn’t even like running the 200 meter dash, but she still broke the record.

“I joke with her and say she runs more like a mid-distance runner, and now she is starting to run more like a sprinter, and she will continue to knock the records down,” Akers said.

Wallace is not surprised at all with Harris and her improvements.

“She has been consistently running 56s in her 400, so the improvement in the 200 is no big surprise,” Wallace said.

Akers believes they have only just begun to see Harris’ potential.

“She works real hard, and I still think we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” Akers said.