All year, freshman Olivia Ruiz established herself as the Pasadena City College women's cross country team's No. 1 runner, including an All-South Coast Conference First Team performance. Ruiz finished the 2019 season by taking 33rd individually out of 167 racers at the CCCAA State Championship meet held Nov. 23 at Fresno's Woodward Park.
Ruiz was one of 37 runners to break the 20-minute mark as she ran a time of 19:56 over the 3.1 mile course. The San Marino High product was sixth best among South Coast Conference racers and 28th of SoCal Region participants.
Also racing individually for PCC at the annual season-ending meet were sophomore Julia Reyes (102nd, 21:14 flat) and freshman Meline Minasian (123rd, 21:39.3).
The Lancers have not qualified as a team for the state meet since 2014 when they placed 17th.
Ruiz is in pretty good company going back to the 2000 season as far as top Lancers state meet runners. Here is a list of the under-20 minute finishers from fastest to least fastest for PCC this century:
2010, Tracee van der Wyk, 2nd, 17:57.40
2009, van der Wyk, 4th, 18:08.30
2013, Tansica Sunkamaneevongse, 35th, 19:22.90
2013, Brenda Grate, 36th, 19:23.03
2014, Ashley Medina, 50th, 19:33.71
2000, Silavy Sin, 23rd, 19:34
2012, Diane Lombardi, 42nd, 19:34.11
2016, Franceska Millanponce, 55th, 19:45.5
2011, Elizabeth Lyons, 53rd, 19:47.30
2003, Mireya Vargas, 40th, 19:48.84
2011, Lombardi, 56th, 19:50.01
2013, Christina Shamarian, 74th, 19:54.84
2019, Olivia Ruiz, 33rd, 19:56
2014, Kate Manzke, 73rd, 19:57.3
2014, Edna Bailon, 76th, 19:59.7