Dominican University of California Athletics

2013: Named to Capital One Academic All-District Men's Track & Field/Cross Country NCAA Division II Team for District 8 (West Region)… Named 2013 NCAA Division II All-Academic Cross Country honoree by USTFCCCA… Named PacWest Scholar-Athlete of the Year for second year in a row… Named to PacWest All-Conference Second Team with eighth place finish at PacWest Championships… Set a PR in first run of the season, finishing in sixth place at the Hornet Jamboree with a time of 20:23.1, all despite being tripped at the start line and sustaining scrapes and bruises that caused the race to restart… Set PR in 8k at Bronco Invite 8k Invitational on Oct. 19… Named PacWest Runner of the Week for week of Sept. 16-22… Named to PacWest Final Five for weeks of Sept. 9-15, Sept. 23-29, and Oct. 14-20… Named Dominican Men's Cross Country Most Outstanding Player for second season in a row.

Race Times
20:23.1 (4-mile) Hornet Jamboree/Sacramento State, Sept. 14 (6/39, PR)
26:16.45 (8k) Sonoma State Invitational, Sept. 21 (3/43)
26:02 (8k) Stanford Invitatonal, Sept. 28 (44/243)
24:46.0 (8k) Bronco Invite 8k Invitational hosted by Santa Clara, Oct. 19 (49/193, PR)
27:16.9 (8k) PacWest Championships hosted by Dominican, Nov. 2 (8/70)
33.26.37 (10k) NCAA Division II West Regional Championships, Nov. 9 (50/130)

2012: Named 2012 NCAA Division II All-Academic Cross Country honoree by USTFCCCA… Named PacWest Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year… Named to PacWest Academic All-Conference Team… Named PacWest Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week for races held Oct. 11–13… Named to PacWest Fantastic 15 for races held Aug. 31–Sept. 2… Inducted into National College Athlete Honor Society, Chi Alpha Sigma… Named Dominican Men's Cross Country Most Outstanding Player…  Was the top finishing collegiate runner in the Bronco Invitational Open 8K on Oct. 13 with personal best 8K time of 25:40.9… Placed 39th out of 85 runners at the PacWest Championships on Oct. 27 with an 8K time of 28:24.95… Finished 48th out of 138 runners and fifth highest among PacWest competitors at the NCAA Division II West Regional Cross Country Championships in Hawai'i with a 10K time of 34:13.97.

Race Times
26:19 (8k) San Francisco Invitational, Sept. 1 (26/143)
20:45.8 (4-mile) Hornet Jamboree/Sacramento State, Sept. 8 (24/96)
28:00 (8k) Mills Invitational, Sept. 15 (second among all college runners)
26:57 (8k) Sonoma State Invite, Sept. 22 (second among all college runners)
25:40.9 (8k) Bronco Invite Open hosted by Santa Clara, Oct. 13 (first among all college runners)
28:24.95 (8k) PacWest Championships, Oct. 27 (39/85)
34:13.97 (10k) NCAA Division II West Regional Championships (48/138)

Before Dominican: Ran as a member of club team Mizuno Wolfpack. Competed two years in cross country and track at San Jose City College. Qualified to California Community College Championships for cross country in 2008 and 2009. Captain and lettered in track and cross country for 3 years at Independence High School in San Jose. MVP in cross country junior and senior years. Sophomore and senior athlete of the year. Blossom Valley Athletic League Individual Champion 2007.

Personal: Parents Patria and Jun Valdez… Younger brother, Marvin. Member of Dominican Mountain Biking Club… Member of Penguin Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC)… Minoring in Psychology.

Personal Records: 4-miles XC (20:23.1); 3000m (9:06.06); 1500m (4:12.05)