Petronela raced for the University of Toledo under the name Petronela Simiuc.
2020: 800m, mile, and relay gold
At the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Indoor Championships, she won the 800m and mile and was part of Toledo’s winning distance-medley relay team. She also received USTFCCCA All-American honors for the indoor mile and the MAC’s Most Outstanding Track Performer award. The NCAA indoor meet she had qualified for was canceled.
Her 4:34.59 indoor mile in February 2020 was a Toledo and Mid-American Conference record at the time.
2021: two outdoor titles
She won the 800m and 1,500m at the MAC Outdoor Championships and ran the 1,500m at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Mid-American Conference also recognized her as a Distinguished Scholar Athlete for 2020–21.