Chico State Athletics

2021–22
Redshirted both cross country and track & field seasons during his first year on campus…Raced sparingly during the year between both sports…In the fall, finished 64th while posting an 8k time of 27:02.5 running unattached September 10, 2021 at the San Francisco Invitational…Delivered an 8k time of 27:03.2 to earn a 98th place finish October 16, 2021 at Santa Clara’s Bronco Invitational…Finished the cross country season with a 15:51 5k in the team’s track time trial…On the track, recorded a 5k time of 15:45.8 March 5, 2022 at the Kim Duyst Invitational before being forced to sit out the remainder of the track & field season due to illness.
 
Pre-Chico Days
A four-year letter winner in both cross country and track at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside…Helped lead the Wolves to a Big VIII League cross country championship and the CIF Southern Section D-I finals in 2018 and 2019…His big breakthrough came on the track during his sophomore season at the Big VIII Championships, where he finished third in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:21…Recorded a five-kilometer cross country PR of 16:01 at the Desert Vista Twilight during his junior cross country campaign…A COVID-shortened senior cross country campaign featured five top-three finishes in five meets…Ortega finished his senior year of track with PRs in the mile (4:19.0) and 3,200 meters (9:36)…Twice named Second Team All-Big VIII in cross country…Earned the team’s Newcomer of the Year award and Most Outstanding Distance Runner in track & field.
 
Personal
Born April 17, 2003, in Riverside…Son of Ray and Alejandra…Has three siblings: Raymundo, Emily, and Vicky…His hero is Coach Peters, who mentored him during his high school cross country and track career (“He has always been such an honest person, patient with his athletes and treated everyone with dignity and respect, always looked towards long-term for my journey through the sport of running, and is a big reason as to why I am here”)…The person he most admires in the sports world is distance runner Joe Klecker (“He has taken a lot of time to develop and become an elite runner. He never won an NCAA title in his college career, but is now an Olympic finalist in the 10k. I admire him because he continued to push towards the peak of this sport”)…Favorite course at Chico State is Earth System Science, taught by Eric Willard…Why he decided to attend Chico State: “I wanted to choose a place where I believe I can challenge myself across the board and expand on my potential in academics and athletics, the amazing views, the history of the cross country and track team. There is a strong legacy here at Chico State and I want to be able to contribute to that history during my time here”)…His greatest sports moment was finding out that his cross country team won the league championship during his senior year of high school (“I felt extremely proud of my team in that moment just because of the adversity we had to face to just get there”)…The most interesting thing he’s ever done is stargazing (“Not a lot of people nowadays take a moment to look at the stars. On some nights, you can truly see everything”)…The most impressive thing he’s ever accomplished is be part of the Dean’s list this past school year…Has learned by competing in distance running that “setbacks are only meant to make you stronger”…Enjoys watching F1 racing and YouTube, and playing Pokemon when he has some free time…Says his biggest non-running talent is “commentating on the sport of track and field. Getting behind the microphone and painting emotion for the viewer”…Has a slight interest in doing some voice acting…At the top of his bucket list: “Compete at all world major marathons”…Best advice ever received: “Some things are truly never meant to be seen, heard, or done”…Majoring in communication studies…Plans a career as a network sports commentator.
 
Personal Best Marks:
8k XC: 27:02
5,000m: 15:45