CANTON, N.Y. – A strong final kick from Nora Weathers sent her to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Final of the 1,500 meters. Needing a fourth place finish to guarantee herself a spot in Saturday's run for the national championship, the Fords' junior accomplished just that with a time of 4:33.26.

With the final field of 12 runners set – the top four finishers in both heats, plus the next four best times – Weathers  will run a national title Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Weathers' heat race Thursday came in her NCAA Outdoor Track & Field debut. Saturday's championship race will be her first appearance in an NCAA Track Final.

Weathers maintained her position in the lead pack throughout the first half of the race. The runners behind Weathers began to make their moves on lap three and were neck-and-neck with the Haverford standout heading into the bell lap. Nevertheless, Weathers called on her endurance reserves to outkick her challengers and solidify her spot in the finals.

Coming into the event seeded fifth, Weathers was also fourth overall between the two heats. Her heat claimed each the next four best times with the fifth through eighth finishers. Luther's Tricia Serres won the heat with the top overall time of 4:31.97. Already the school record in her event with a personal best of 4:30.18 to win the Centennial Conference Championship, Weather's mark on Thursday was only bested in school history by her earlier championship performance.

The top eight finishers in Saturday's national championship race will earn All-America accolades. Haverford has been represented in the 1,500 meter finals three times by Danielle Wolfrom '94 (6th in 1993), Meredith Unger '97 (4th in 1996), and Jane Steinmann '04 (9th in 2004). In total, the Haverford College Outdoor Track & Field team has earned 15 All-America certificates during the spring championship.