UTSports Women's Athletics
 

Nia Ali
 Nia Ali
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Philadelphia, Pa.
High School:
Pleasantville (N.J.)
Height:
5-6
Position:
Hurdles/Sprints
Birthdate:
10/23/1988

HIGH SCHOOL:

Attended national track powerhouse West Catholic High School in Philadelphia before transferring to, and graduating from, Pleasantville (N.J.) High School...Only ran high school track two seasons and played basketball and softball one season each...Despite that limited access to high school coaching, she ranked number one in the nation as a senior in two indoor hurdles events by Track & Field News and was sixth in the 100m hurdles...Indoors, her career-best 8.36 effort, which she posted in winning the 60m hurdles at the 2006 Nike Indoor National Championships, led all prep girls...That mark was a Nike Indoor Nationals record...She also headed the high school ranks nationally with a personal-record time of 7.75 readout in the 55m hurdles...Those times would rank her second and third, respectively, on Tennessee's current all-time indoor performers lists in those events...Her 100m readout of 13.63 put her in the national top 10 in that event and would place her fourth on the Lady Volunteer outdoor performers list...Named to the All-USA Today Girls Track & Field Team for her work...Turned in a fourth-place finish in the summer of 2006 in Indianapolis with a wind-aided 13.55 100m hurdles readout at the USA Track & Field Junior National Championships...Won 2006 NJSIAA Group II indoor championships in the 55m dash (7.20), 55m hurdles (8.32), 200m dash (25.19) and 400m dash (59.54) as a senior...Won the 55m hurdles crown at the NJSIAA State Meet of Championships in 8.15...Ran for Mallery Challengers Track Club.

PERSONAL:

Nia is enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Tennessee...In her spare time, she plays the piano and enjoys playing basketball as well as dancing...Nia prays before each race she runs...Has four siblings: Sham-sud-din Ali, 23; Ameer Ali, 19; Aatiqah Ali, 24, and Jamar Jones, 17...Nia-Sifaatihii Ali was born in Norristown, Pa., on Oct. 23, 1988...Her parents are Melita Johnson and Aleem Ali.