BALTIMORE, Md. — Megan Gilliland was not looking to make history at Seneca Valley.

But her natural talent, coupled with a quiet determination, led her straight to it.

The 2001 graduate was the first athlete at SV, boy or girl, to make three PIAA Championship meets in one year. She accomplished the feat in her junior campaign in cross country, swimming and track.

Gilliland will be one of seven people inducted into the Seneca Valley Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the high school Sept. 24.

“I remember my coaches telling me about being the first at Seneca Valley to do that,” Gilliland said of reaching three state meets in the 1999-2000 school year. “At the time, I was just so focused in on sports, it really didn't sink in what I had done.”

Sports became a part of Gilliland's life at an early age. Growing up in Zelienople, she followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Brooke, and began swimming at age five.

She went on to earn 12 varsity letters at Seneca Valley, was named all-state in swimming her junior year and earned team MVP honors in cross country (twice) and track (four times).

“To letter all four years in those three sports, it takes someone special to do that,” said SV track coach Ray Peaco, who was an assistant when Gilliland starred for the Raiders. “What a great kid!”

Her scholastic athletic career culminated with Gilliland being awarded the Sherman Award in 2001, distinguishing her as the school's top female athlete.

“To me, it's still as big an honor now as it was back then,” she said. “Any award I got while at Seneca Valley meant a lot to me.”

She competed in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles in swimming and the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs for the track team, but she most enjoyed participating in relays.

During her junior season on the swim team, she helped SV's 400 freestyle quartet place third in the WPIAL and fifth in the state.

“I loved the team aspect of the relays,” she said. “Coming together for certain events was pretty neat.”

Gilliland's junior year also saw her contribute to the SV girls cross country team, which placed third in the WPIAL and seventh in the state.

“Running came more naturally for me,” said Gilliland. “I had to work a bit more to succeed at swimming. It was harder for me.”

Her running achievements extended beyond high school, as she won the Butler Road Race's women's two-mile run in June 2000.

Gilliland attended Penn State University and was a member of the women's track and cross country teams all four years, serving as team captain for the latter her senior campaign.

“You're a star athlete in high school and then you go to a school like Penn State where there are amazing athletes,” Gilliland said. “You realize how much work you need to put in to keep up.”

Gilliland has been a news anchor/reporter for almost four years at WBFF, the FOX television affiliate in Baltimore.

She gives credit to several people for contributing to her success in athletics.

“My family constantly supported me,” she said. “And my coaches — Tom Donati (swimming), Wayne Roccia and Ray Peaco (track) and Randy Huey (cross country) — I could not mention one of them without the others. They all helped me so much.”

For more details regarding Seneca Valley's 2011 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, call 724-452-6040.