Beth Gollin occasionally reminds her track coach about his initial reluctance to let her compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Eventually, she wore down Coast Guard Academy coach Ethan Brown. Then she proved her point by setting the school record in her first race in the event during her freshman year. Since then, she's broken her mark several times.

She'll cap her outstanding career by participating in her third straight NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship. She begins competition today with a preliminary race at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.

"As a freshman, I didn't really anticipate this or plan for it," said Gollin of her athletic success. "Coach wasn't even going to let me run steeplechase. I always remind him about that. He told me I was going to be an 800 or 1,500 runner. He said, 'You can't run the steeple because it's too long for you.'

"I kept bugging him and eventually he let me run it."

Brown knew he made the right decision only a few laps into Gollin's first race.

"When we got outside she kept bugging me to run," Brown said. "I knew she did it in high school and had done well. ... She kept at it. She was persistent. She ran the steeplechase and she was unbelievable. Her first race she broke the record and established herself as fastest steeplechase runner Coast Guard has ever had."

This is quite a week for Gollin, who's from Oneonta, N.Y.

On Wednesday, Gollin graduated from the Coast Guard Academy and received her commission from President Obama. A few hours later, Gollin jumped in a car and headed to St. Lawrence University.

Gollin is enjoying her best outdoor track season. She won the Division III New England Championship and captured fifth in the All-Division New England Championship, breaking her own school record with a time of 10 minutes, 49.19 seconds.

In the NCAA field, she's seeded a personal-best 12th.

Her goal is to improve on her previous NCAA performances. Last year, she put all her energy into the semifinal race and didn't have enough left in her tank for the finals.

"I hope this year I run smarter in the semis so I can actually perform well in the finals," Gollin said. "Last year was disappointing to run faster in the semis than I did in the finals."

Brown altered Gollin's training this season to better prepare for the two races in 48 hours in the national championship. During the spring, she went through hard workouts either 48 hours before or after meets.

If she makes it out of the today's preliminary race, she'll compete in the finals at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

"I'm just looking to end (my career) strong," Gollin said. "I've been running steeplechase since eighth grade. This really is my last chance. I definitely want to make it to the finals."

Another difference from her previous two NCAA Championship trips: Gollin will have her fan club on hand. Her parents will make the roughly three and a half hour trip from home to root her on.

"That's exciting for me," Gollin said.

Brown has a good feeling about Gollin's performance.

He's watched her gain speed and strength over the years and provide valuable leadership as a team captain in both track and cross country. She's set an example with her work ethic and been a source of positive energy for her teammates. She also excelled in the classroom, making Dean's List and Commandant of Cadets list while majoring in civil engineering.

"All signs are pointing to a potential great race for her," Brown said. "I think she'll be able to run her fastest race."

The next stop for Gollin after the NCAA Championships: Honolulu, where she'll begin her Coast Guard career with a two-year stint.

"It's definitely gone fast," Gollin said of her academy career. "It was kind of a shot in the dark. I didn't really know what I was getting into. But I loved it and I think it was the best choice for me."

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe