William & Mary Athletics

Sonja Friend-Uhl was a standout middle-distance runner for the Tribe from 1989-93, and in the 25 years since has continued to compete at an internationally-recognized level while also becoming a very successful businesswoman.
 
While wearing the green and gold, Friend-Uhl set six school records, all of which lasted at least six years and the longest stood until 2008, 15 years after she set it.  Her first records came in the 1991-92 season, when she ran 9:20.50 on the 4x800m indoors, a mark that stood until 1998.  She also broke the school record in the 1,000m indoors (2:53.55), holding that record until 1998 as well.  Friend-Uhl still ranks seventh all-time in that event.
 
Outdoors, she helped break the 4x1,500m relay twice, the last time at 18:30.63 which stood until 1999, and also set the 800m record (2:09.89) that lasted until 1996.  Friend-Uhl remains in the school's all-time top 10 (seventh) in the event.  As a senior in 1993, she added the 800m indoor record (2:11.45), which wasn't broken until the 2008 season and still ranks third in school history.
 
Friend-Uhl was not just a time-trial runner, needing perfect conditions and races to turn in strong times.  She was a championship competitor, taking silver in the 800m her sophomore year before winning the 800m back-to-back seasons in 1992 and 1993.  She also earned silver medals in the 1,500m each of her last two years as well.  Even though she was a middle-distance specialist, Friend-Uhl also helped the W&M cross country team win three-straight CAA titles from 1990-92, finishing fifth individually in both 1991 and 1992 for All-CAA honors.  At the ECAC Championships, she earned five All-East honors, including three individual awards.
 
After graduating, Friend-Uhl continued competing, and qualified for the 2000 Olympic Trials in the 1,500m.  In 2012, she set the world Master's record for the indoor mile in the W40-45 age groups, running 4:44.81, and currently also holds American Master's records in the W40-44 indoor 3,000m, outdoor 1,500m (4:16.99), and outdoor mile (4:45.68), as well as the W45-49 indoor mile, 1,500m, 3,000m, and the outdoor 1,500m.  In 2018, she became the oldest American woman to ever break 5 minutes in the mile, and her W40-44 American records in the 1,500m and mile would all still rank second all-time at W&M even now.
 
Friend-Uhl has represented the U.S.A. at six world master's meets and has won several national and world titles individually between the 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m, and cross country.  She's also a renowned fitness trainer, running her own fitness studio training business (FIT International Corp), as well as her own online coaching/consulting/training business, FitwithSonja.com.  Friend-Uhl has also been published numerous times in such publications as Runner's World magazine.