BIRMINGHAM, AL – York College senior standout Julia Pena participated in the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday in Birmingham, Alabama.

Pena had both of her events on Friday as she competed in the 60-meter hurdles and the pole vault.

Pena began the day with the pole vault and she cleared the initial height of 3.45 meters. She followed that with clean first passes at 3.60 meters and 3.75 meters. Pena then was unable to clear 3.80 meters as she finished 11^th in the event. Gracie Holland won the national championship as she cleared 4.00 meters to win the title.

Pena then moved on to the to the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles. Pena ran in the third heat of the preliminaries and registered a time of 9.07. She finished 20^th as she was .22 seconds out of a top 15 finish.

Pena also qualified for the long jump but elected not to compete in the event at the championships.

Pena is the first Spartan women's indoor student athlete to earn her way to the National Championships. The trip completes one of the best single seasons in school history. Pena was named the MAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year after winning the pole vault and the long jump in addition to being the runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles.

Pena owns the indoor school records for the pole vault, the 60-meter hurdles and the long jump. She established all three records this season.

Pena will join her teammates in preparing for the outdoor campaign. The Spartans begin their season on Friday, March 24 at the Blue and Gold Classic hosted by Goucher College in Towson, Maryland.