Heading into her senior year, Emily Infeld — already a six-time All-American — didn’t need any more accolades.

Still, she spent this past season picking up two more All-American titles, leading Georgetown to its first women’s cross country national championship and earning national champion status herself by winning the 3000-meter run in indoor track.

But for Infeld, who has exhausted her eligibility for cross country but will return as a Sports Industry Management graduate student for another season of indoor and outdoor track, the season could have ended very differently.

“I didn’t really perform that well at the beginning of the season, but [women’s cross country Head Coach Chris] Miltenberg was great,” Infeld said. “He was patient with me and committed to helping me … the whole season.”

Injuries plagued Infeld throughout September, forcing her to spend two weeks away from training. Even though she battled back to finish the cross country season, Infeld committed more time to training during the indoor track season to prepare for outdoor events.

But injuries never truly weakened her. She finished in fourth place individually in the cross country national championship, where Georgetown was victorious. She won the mile and 3-kilometer events at the Big East indoor track championship and was part of a record-setting distance medley relay team that took first place. She also took second place at the 1500m run at the Big East outdoor championship.

Infeld attributes much of her success to Miltenberg, who worked closely with the graduating senior throughout her career at Georgetown.

“I feel like if I had a different coach, [my season] definitely could have gone a different way, because I wasn’t running that well at the beginning of the cross country season,” Infeld said.

A testament to her perseverance came in the indoor national championship after the DMR team — which shattered a school record earlier that year — finished in a disappointing fourth place. Infeld, the anchor in the relay, was unable to keep the lead that junior Rachel Schneider gave her with the final handoff.

“It was almost that she competed too hard in the DMR,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner said. “That’s how all four of them ran.”

But Infeld shook off her frustration and turned around the next day to win the 3000m run, adding national champion to her resume. Again, Miltenberg was crucial to Infeld’s turnaround.

“Coach Miltenberg was really great, trying to keep me in a positive mental state after the DMR,” Infeld said. “[He] is awesome because, while he’s great with training … he really focuses [on] the mental component. A lot of other coaches forget about that.”

Still, it is undeniable that Infeld’s success is only partly due to Miltenberg. Her work ethic, intensity and leadership have all been integral both to her own development and to the arrival of Georgetown’s cross country and track programs on the national radar.

“Her legacy, in terms of the things she’s accomplished, is amazing,” Miltenberg said.

Infeld will continue competing throughout May and into June, as the preliminary events for the outdoor national championship take place this week. But the national championship, which begins June 6, will not be Infeld’s last, since she is still training with the track team for next season.

And aside from her work next year in the School of Continuing Studies, Infeld has set more goals for herself as a runner.

“I want to just keep improving and focusing on my times,” Infeld said. “It’ll be a good experience to run at trials, and hopefully that’ll help me next year to improve my times and jump to another level.”

Infeld leaves the cross country program having led her team to a national championship, though she added that the team’s success came not from her individual performance but from the team’s cohesiveness.

“I feel like cross [country] is such a team sport,” Infeld said. “It’s exciting, and there can be so many ups and downs within the season. I just wanted to set a good example in that regard.”

The year has not been completely smooth for Infeld, but her biggest strength has been responding to the adversity that would have derailed athletes with less mental fortitude.

“I ran through so many different emotions,” Infeld said. “Our team winning [the] cross [country national championship] was so exciting. But then I felt a little more pressured, and I just had to remember that this is what I love to do. I run because I love to run.”in the indoor national championship after the DMR team — which shattered a school record earlier that year — finished in a disappointing fourth place. Infeld, the anchor in the relay, was unable to keep the lead that junior Rachel Schneider gave her with the final handoff.

“It was almost that she competed too hard in the DMR,” Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner said. “That’s how all four of them ran.”

But Infeld shook off her frustration and turned around the next day to win the 3000m run, adding national champion to her resume. Again, Miltenberg was crucial to Infeld’s turnaround.

“Coach Miltenberg was really great, trying to keep me in a positive mental state after the DMR,” Infeld said. “[He] is awesome because, while he’s great with training … he really focuses [on] the mental component. A lot of other coaches forget about that.”

Still, it is undeniable that Infeld’s success is only partly due to Miltenberg. Her work ethic, intensity and leadership have all been integral both to her own development and to the arrival of Georgetown’s cross country and track programs on the national radar.

“Her legacy, in terms of the things she’s accomplished, is amazing,” Miltenberg said.

Infeld will continue competing throughout May and into June, as the preliminary events for the outdoor national championship take place this week. But the national championship, which begins June 6, will not be Infeld’s last, since she is still training with the track team for next season.

And aside from her work next year in the School of Continuing Studies, Infeld has set more goals for herself as a runner.

“I want to just keep improving and focusing on my times,” Infeld said. “It’ll be a good experience to run at trials, and hopefully that’ll help me next year to improve my times and jump to another level.”

Infeld leaves the cross country program having led her team to a national championship, though she added that the team’s success came not from her individual performance but from the team’s cohesiveness.

“I feel like cross [country] is such a team sport,” Infeld said. “It’s exciting, and there can be so many ups and downs within the season. I just wanted to set a good example in that regard.”

The year has not been completely smooth for Infeld, but her biggest strength has been responding to the adversity that would have derailed athletes with less mental fortitude.

“I ran through so many different emotions,” Infeld said. “Our team winning [the] cross [country national championship] was so exciting. But then I felt a little more pressured, and I just had to remember that this is what I love to do. I run because I love to run.”