Click here to view Melissa Barajas' TFRRS profile
As a Freshman - T&F (2024)
- Appeared in three meets
- Competed in the 1500, 3000 and 5000
As a Freshman - XC (2023)
- Raced in two meets, both in the 6K
- Ran a season-best 23:55.3 at the Cal State San Marcos Cougar Challenge
Pre-Chico Days
- Developed into one of the top cross country prospects in the Sac-Joaquin section at Modesto High School
- Two-time All-Central California Athletic League selection in both cross country and track
- During her senior year, finished in the top five in every cross country race she ran leading up to the state championships
- The streak included a CCAL title and a fourth place finish at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships, where she posted a personal best 5k time of 18:57 on the challenging Willow Hills course
- On the track, recorded personal best times in the 800m, 1,600m, and 3,200m during her senior year
- Won the 2022 CCAL 3,200m title and placed second in the league in the 1,600m
- Concluded the season with a fourth place finish in the 3,200m at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championships
- Named Modesto High’s Most Valuable Panther Runner in cross country and track.
Personal
- Born July 11 in Modesto
- Daughter of Manuel and Nila
- Has one younger brother, Emanuel
- Her mother is her hero because "she taught me how to be confident in everything I do because it is key to becoming successful. She is also a strong minded woman."
- The person she most admires in the sports world is Kenyan distance runner Eliud Kipchoge because "he is humble and a hard worker. He also rose from nothing and became one of the greats."
- Chose Chico State because "I fell in love with the beautiful trees on campus, as well as the rich running culture."
- Her greatest moment in sports so far was "coming back from sickness my redshirt year and getting back into the sport and feeling like myself again."
- An interesting thing about her is she is the first in her family to attend a 4-year college
- Outside of cross country, her best talent is she can touch her nose with her tongue
- Learned how to play the ukulele
- When she has spare time, she loves to go on a coffee run wit her friends and spend time with her family
- On her bucket list is to travel the world
- The best advice she received was "that I am my own competition always, it advice from my high school coach, Nic Hesse."
- Majoring in Exercise Physiology with aspirations to become a registered nurse
