Click here to view Esmeralda Aguayo Ruiz's TFRRS profile
Notable Awards
• Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award (2020-21, 2021-22)
• CCAA All-Academic (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23)
As a Senior - XC (2023)
- Did not see action
As a Junior - T&F (2023)
- Won the team’s end of season fall 5k track time trial with an 18:13 PR, concluding the fall season
- Opened track & field season with a 10:59 3k (and 36th place finish) March 12, 2022 at the Aggie Open
- Posted time of 5:07.47 in the 1,500m run March 19, 2022 at the Chico Invitational
- Recorded a season-best 5k time of 18:50.76 April 1, 2022 at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic
- Injuries concluded the season early
- Earned two CCAA All-Academic honors
- Received the 2021–22 Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
As a Junior - XC (2022)
- Opened the cross country season with a 54th place run September 10, 2021 at the San Francisco State Invitational
- Finished 36th October 9, 2021 at the Western Washington Bill Roe Classic, posting a time of 23:40 for the 6k course
- Placed 25th October 23, 2021 at the CCAA Cross Country Championships with a 6k personal best time of 22:00.04
As a Junior (2020-21)
- Did not compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Earned two CCAA All-Academic honors
- Received Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
2019–20
- Opened the season by posting a 6k time of 24:32.5 at the Stump Invitational, finishing 51st
- Placed 39th at the Capital Cross Challenge by running a season-best 22:57.2
- Finished 68th at the Western Washington Classic, stopping the clock at 24:06.5
- Posted a 48th place finish November 17, 2019 at the PAUSATF Cross Country Championships, completing the 6.5k layout in 25:44
- Did not run during the 2020 track & field season
- Received 2019–20 CCAA All-Academic honors
- Earned 2019–20 Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
As a Freshman (2019-20)
- Redshirted both cross country and track as a true freshman
- Competed in the Capital Cross Challenge, placing 73rd in a 250-runner field with a time of 22:52
- Ran to an 18th place finish at the Matt Yeo XC Invitational in Martinez
- Concluded the fall season with a fourth place finish at UC Davis’ Doc Adams Invitational
- On the track, recorded a time of 4:59 in her 1,500m debut at the Wildcat Invitational
- Posted a 10:43 3k PR in a team time trial before succumbing to a season-ending injury.
Pre-Chico Days
Ran for Modesto’s Downey High School, helped lead the Knights to four straight cross country league titles
- Posted a 19:32 5k at the Stanford Cross Country Invitational course
- Placed 22nd at the Sac Joaquin Section Championships as a senior, clocking in at 20:30 on the challenging Willow Hills Course in Folsom
- On the track, placed fourth in the 1,600-meters at the Modesto Metro Conference Championships.
Personal
- Born July 3, in Sonoma
- Daughter of Olivia Ruiz
- Has one older brother, Oliver
- Her hero is “TBD”
- The people she most admires in the sports world is her teammates
- Favorite course(s) at Chico State are all of the drawing courses
- Why she chose to attend Chico State: “It was the perfect distance from home, and had the major and sports I love”
- Her greatest sports moment is “just being out there racing alongside my team. It’s the greatest feeling”
- The most interesting thing she’s ever done is ear a turtle egg (“It tasted like a regular egg”)
- The most impressive thing she’s ever accomplished is sleeping 18 hours in a row
- Has learned by running cross country that “there will always be ups and downs no matter what. Live the moments and be strong”
- Enjoys reading a fun book and visiting book stores when she has some free time
- Says graphite and charcoal drawing are her biggest non-sports talents
- Can play the guitar
- Claims “I’m a pretty simple gal”
- At the top of her bucket list: “To see the Northern Lights”
- Best advice ever received came from her dad: “Just go out there, try your best, and have fun”
- Majoring in interior architecture
- Plans a career working as a full/part-time artist and considering teaching art
