SPLIT PERSONALITY: KELTNER TRANSFORMS FROM ALL SMILES TO HOLY TERROR

Heather Keltner doesn't have a split personality, at least not in the technical sense.

But Southeast Missouri State University track and field coach Joey Haines might disagree with that. He sees his star senior sprinter as friendly, thoughtful and polite off the track -- but a holy terror on it.

"Heather is like two different people," said a laughing Haines prior to a workout this week at Southeast's Abe Stuber Complex. "Away from the track, she's as nice as can be. When she gets on the track, she'd run her grandma down. She's a tremendous competitor."

Told what Haines had said, Keltner matched her coach's laugh.

"He's right," she said. "When I'm not running, I try to be really nice to everybody. But in a race, I just want to win. There have been some (relay) races where it's gotten bad, especially if we (she and an athlete from another team) get the handoff at the same time. I'll cut them off. I don't try to be mean, but I just want to win."

And win she has. Heading into this weekend's Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in Murray, Ky., Keltner has stamped herself as among the most decorated OVC track athletes in recent memory.

The native of Hixson, Tenn. -- it's near Chattanooga -- has won nine individual OVC titles (combined indoor and outdoor) so far, six in the 400-meters and three in the 200-meters. She's tacked on another seven relay crowns, four in the 4x400 and three in the 4x100. And she's liable to add some more this weekend.

"Heather is as decorated an athlete as has come through the OVC in a long time," Haines said. "She's one of the best all-around sprinters we've had in terms of the 200 and 400."

Keltner is also making a strong run at becoming one of the handful of Southeast track athletes who have earned a spot in the NCAA Division I Championships. Her 400-meter time of 53.61 ranks 19th nationally and has qualified her provisionally for the national meet, but there are still several weeks of the season left for runners to post better qualifying times.

"But we're hoping Heather will get faster too," said Haines. "She'll have to run faster to make it (to the NCAAs), but this is the fastest she's ever run this early and she's got three races left, so we're hopeful."

Said Keltner of a potential NCAA berth, "That would be a great way to end my career and that's my goal. I've qualified provisionally before, but it just never worked out. I think I have a lot better chance this time than I ever have."

And just to think, the unassuming Keltner didn't even know she was Division I material for most of her high school career, even though she was a prep standout.

"It surprised me. I didn't even know schools were looking at me," she said.

While Haines had tabbed Keltner as a top recruit while she was in high school, he admitted he never expected her to have such a dominant career.

"We knew she was good, but we didn't have any idea she would be this good," said Haines, who chuckled when he recalled the final recruiting battle for Keltner. "It came down to us and Indiana and her dad was a Bobby Knight fan, so I was worried for a while. I had to convince Heather that Bobby Knight didn't coach track."

Despite all of her accomplishments, Haines said it's not like Keltner is a pure natural who has gotten by on sheer physical talent. She has spent countless hours fine-tuning her body not only on the track but in the weight room to become pound-for-pound one of Southeast's strongest athletes.

"She's worked really hard," said Haines. "It's not like she's a big, physical specimen. She's talented, but she's gotten the most out of her talent."

According to Haines, one of the more interesting things about Keltner's Southeast career is the relationship she has formed with assistant coach Yvonne Hente, who was the Otahkians' star senior sprinter when Keltner came to Cape Girardeau four years ago.

"When Heather was a freshman, Yvonne was the defending (OVC) champion in the 400 and they battled all year, then Heather beat her at the OVC meet," recalled Haines. "Now Yvonne is coaching her. It was really neat the way they handled all that and now it's really neat to see their relationship.

"Heather was really fortunate her freshman year because she had a great example in Yvonne. Now she's an example."

Keltner regards Hente as not only the coach who works with her the closest but also one of her best friends.

"We're real close. I like to consider her my coach and also my friend," Keltner said. "She really helps me in a lot of ways. I know she knows what I'm going through when I have a bad day or I'm not feeling good because she's been through it. She's very supportive."

A four-time Southeast Scholar Athlete who is majoring in social work, Keltner said she almost wishes time would slow down as she savors the final stages of her collegiate career.

"The past four years have definitely gone fast," she said. "Last year I couldn't wait for this year to get here and now I wish I could slow it down."