BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Nia Akins, of the University of Pennsylvania track & field program, ran the fastest race of her life and led down the stretch to cross the line in 2:03.74 and as the national runner-up in Saturday night's NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship 800m final.
Penn State's Danae Rivers won with a time of 2:03.69.
The time breaks Akins' own program record and sets the second-best time in the history of the Ivy League.
Just by advancing to the national final, Akins earned first-team All-American status, and is just the first athlete from the women's team to even qualify for the national championships since 2008.
This weekend, as Akins has done all indoor season, the junior battled as one of the best 800m runners in the country. On Friday night, she finished in 2:06.05, the third-best time of the 16 semifinalists to earn her spot in the national final.
Akins' spectacular run concludes the indoor season, and the Quakers will return to competition on March 23 at the Penn Challenge at Franklin Field.
#ThePursuit
#FightOnPenn
