Former Cordova track standout Nia Dorner finished in first place in the 400 meters at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state meet her senior year. Photo courtesy of Nia Dorner

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Former Cordova Lady Lancers' varsity track star Nia Dorner has taken the fast track into the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame. 

A 2013 graduate of Cordova High School, Dorner was recently selected for induction into the aforementioned Hall of Fame, with the ceremony to take place this September at Rancho Cordova City Hall.

She is remembered for finishing in first place in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac Joaquin Section and state meets her senior year in the 400 meters and was also the No. 2 high school runner in the nation in that event with a lifetime best time of 53.0 seconds.

Yet, it's the backstory of how Dorner accomplished those goals that might be the most inspiring component as to how she got to the finish line. 

Leading up to the state meet one year earlier in her junior season, Dorner dealt with immense tragedy. During the two weeks prior to the event, Dorner lost two beloved members of her family: her great-grandmother and her childhood dog.

Those two losses weighed heavily on Dorner as she prepared for the meet, and she ultimately finished in second place, which crushed her. But as any good athlete does, Dorner turned her tragedy into triumph.

“I was devastated,” Dorner said. “I took those emotions and continued to work hard and train that summer. My junior year didn't define me after that state meet. I took that loss as a way to continue working. Working on myself, working on how to overcome even tragedies and battles that I may be facing mentally and emotionally, whatever adversity I may be going through and use that to just dig in deeper.”

That mental and emotional toughness continued to serve her well beyond high school, as Dorner went on to star at the University of Texas at Austin, where she won several track titles. Dorner later become a personal trainer and wellness coach, mentoring young athletes in high school and during their college preparation. That work led her to create The Dorner Foundation while in Dallas, Texas, a nonprofit organization that helps student athletes obtain scholarships and excel in all aspects, not just while playing sports. 

Former Cordova track standout Nia Dorner has her own nonprofit organization, The Dorner Foundation, that provides mentorship and scholarship assistance for student athletes in high school. Photo courtesy of Nia Dorner

Dorner and her family relocated to the area recently following the birth of her second child and she is now working on obtaining a degree in nursing while also engaging in her community service efforts and being a mother. She also spends time as a motivational speaker, hoping to reach young athletes and help them succeed. 

When she received the news of her nomination into the Hall of Fame, Dorner was thrilled.

“It felt great,” Dorner said. “It was good news; I was happy about it. It felt pretty good to be recognized for some accomplishments that happened a while ago.”

Dorner also hopes to use her platform as a Hall of Famer to continue her work in community outreach and looks forward to serving more in the community moving forward. 

“It feels very rewarding and it feels like an honor,” Dorner said of making the Hall of Fame. “I think this gives us a platform to be able to speak up and speak out for people in our community so that we can help, whether it's some sort of aid or resources. I think it's a great opportunity to use that platform in a good light to continue doing community work.”

The Cordova Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at https://form.jotform.com/cordovacouncil/rcaa-reception-tickets-2025.