FORT MYERS, Fla. — History has been made as
Ozia Trujillo has qualified for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. She is the first Eagle in program history to do so. Trujillo will now head to the Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, Missouri, on Saturday, November 22, for the national race.
"For my family, for the people on the sidelines lifting me up, and for my younger self who dreamed of moments like this, for my team, my coaches, and the entire FGCU community who believed in me even when I doubted myself," said
Ozia Trujillo."This is a moment I prayed for, and I'm so grateful to be heading to NCAA Nationals. Bet on yourself, and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Step outside your comfort zone," she added.
The junior from Liberal, Kansas, ran the race of her life Friday at the NCAA South Regionals, producing a program-record and personal-best time of 19:45 to finish 11th in the women's 6K out of 202 athletes. Trujillo crossed the line ahead of competitors from Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Miami, Vanderbilt, Florida State, and Georgia, to name a few.
She was the first athlete from the ASUN to finish and led the Florida Gulf Coast University women's cross country team to a 16th-place team finish. She also shaved more than a minute off her previous 6K time from two weeks prior.
Trujillo broke former Eagle Kelly Perzanowski's record of 20:38.9, set at the 2013 South Regionals. Her performance also marks the best individual finish for any FGCU runner, male or female. This caps off a record-breaking season that began from the very first race.
"We consistently speak about elevating the program here at FGCU, and this achievement represents a significant step forward," said head coach
Argeo Cruz. "We are deeply grateful for the daily support from teammates, athletics staff, and family, as well as for Ozia's resilience, faith, and drive. We are proud to call Ozia an FGCU Eagle and our very first National Qualifier."
She opened the year by setting a new FGCU program-best time in the 5K, clocking in at 17:05.4 at the Florida Intercollegiate Invitational. One month later, she captured the individual title at the Ed Holloway XC Classic, finishing the 6K in 20:48 and leading the Eagles to a team victory.
Trujillo continued her historic run at the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship on Oct. 31, where she set a new ASUN Championship record with a time of 16:20 to win the women's 5K, earn ASUN Runner of the Year, and claim a spot on the ASUN First Team.
She shaved an incredible 47 seconds off her previous personal best of 17:07.7 and crossed the line first, securing FGCU's first individual conference title since 2013. The last Eagle to win the race, Kelly Perzanowski, posted a time of 17:21.02.
