As a freshman, Ellerbe became the first female track and field athlete in school history to earn All-America accolades when she finished seventh in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1998 NCAA outdoor championships at Oregon. She again earned All-America honors during her sophomore campaign—finishing ninth in the hurdles at the outdoor meet in Provo, Utah. After redshirting the 1989-90 season, she captured her third All-American honor by finishing fourth in her specialty with a time of 56.60. Ellerbe culminated her brilliant career in 1992 by finishing second in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA meet in Austin, Texas. She also competed at the U.S. Olympic Trails, narrowly missing a spot in the U.S. roster.