Saka Named MIAA Track Athlete of the Week
Feb 9, 2009 | General, Track & Field
OMAHA, Neb. – Sprinter #Pinar Saka# of the UNO indoor track and field team was named track athlete of the week in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association today. It's the second time she has earned the honor this season.
Saka, a 5-foot-5 senior from Istanbul, Turkey, improved her automatic qualification time for the national championship meet in the 400 meters during the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational hosted by Nebraska last weekend (Feb. 6-7).
She ran a winning time of 53.04 seconds, the fastest time run by a Division II sprinter this season and the 11th-fastest time in the world this year. It's also a new school record, breaking the mark she set just three weeks ago (53.36).
Saka also ran a leg on the Mavericks' 4 x 400-meter relay which, despite problems in the early stages of the race, placed third with a time of 3:48.60.
Saka is a graduate of Besiktas School and transferred to UNO from Nebraska following her freshman season.
The UNO track team returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Wildcat Open hosted by Wayne State College. For more information, visit omavs.com.
