Norissa Valdez '22 Recruiting Profile

I have a strong aspiration for running and want compete among some of the best female runners in college. While working towards my goal of becoming a veterinarian.  

 I am extremely motivated with a very competitive spirit.  I have participated in many sports, including soccer, basketball, gymnastics, cross country, and track and field.  I played these sports for several years before determining that my true desire was to run cross country and track and field.  I have maintained at least a 3.5 GPA in high school with a current 4.1 GPA.  

In 2017 I was selected to move up as an eighth-grader to run with the Los Alamos High School varsity cross country team. In the fall of 2017, I competed in the NM State Cross Country Championship, finishing in 8th place. I went on to compete at the State 4A State Track and Field meet, with a time of 2:22:39 in the 800m race. In the fall of 2018, I placed 2nd in the NM State Cross Country Championship meet. Then I competed at the Nike Cross Regional Southwest 5000m, finishing with a time of 18:29.01. In the spring of 2019, I ran the 1600m race at the NM State Cross Country Championship with a time of 5:27. In the fall of 2019, I competed in the NM State Cross Country Championship meet and won the 1st place title. Amid COVID I ran my first 3200m race and qualified for state with a time of 11:59.19. Shortly after this, track and field season was canceled for 2020. Given New Mexico's strict COVID guidelines I continued to train and participated with a club cross country team. New Mexico had an abbreviated fall athletic season but despite this, we were allowed to run Districts and State in masks and I am proud to say that I took the 2020 NM 4A State Cross Country Championship title for the second year in a row. 

Aside from atheltics I volunteered over the summer of 2019 at a local Veterinarian Clinic. The staff observed my compassion for animals as I provided physical and emotional comfort for the animals when they were sick, injured, or recovering from  anesthesia.  The animals really appreciated my calm and patient demeanor.  I was fully interested in the medical aspects of the veterinary career and would ask thoughtful questions and appreciated being involved in the cases and in observing the surgical procedures.

I believe I represent what it means to be a well-rounded student athlete who is able to focus my time and energy on pushing forward in life, through my commitment to academics and athletics.