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April 15, 2003

Samia Akbar was named Patriot League Track Athlete of the Week.

WASHINGTON — American University senior Samia Akbar (Herndon, Va./Oakton) became AU’s third Patriot League Track Athlete of the Week in the outdoor season and earned her second award this year after winning the 5000m at the Bison Outdoor Classic. Akbar was one of four Eagles to qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships in the 5000m at the meet.

Akbar, the Patriot League’s Cross Country and Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, won the 5000m in 16:37.70, breaking her own school record. She finished eight seconds in front of teammate Keira Carlstrom (Oakton, Va./Oakton) and 45 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher. Akbar’s time is also the fastest in the Patriot League this season.

The holder of three outdoor and five indoor school records, Akbar became the highest finishing Patriot League woman ever at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last November, placing 60th. She was named to the All-Patriot League Cross Country and Indoor Track and Field squads the past two seasons and earned All-League recognition in outdoor track in 2002.

The American University Track and Field team returns to action April 24-26 at the Penn Relays.

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, is in its second year of membership in the Patriot League. Since joining the Patriot League, the University has captured league championships in men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball, and regular-season titles in men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse.