After teammate Shyan Vaziri crossed the finish line in fifth at the 2014 Big West Cross Country Championships, four Gauchos were etched in the scoring column. 14 seconds later Monroy broke the tape in the No. 5 spot, securing UCSB the Big West Cross Country team title and fifth lowest score in the history of the conference. Twice a Big West scorer in the 5 and 10k's on the track, Monroy has quietly built one of the more formidable resumes in the entire conference. Look for him to challenge the 14 minute barrier in the 5k during his junior track campaign.
2014-2015 Track
Contested 10 races over the span of seven meets during his sophomore track season. Opened the year with a rare mile outing, finishing in 4:16.61 at the Round-Up. Ran a 3k at the Round-Up in 8:27.37. Two weeks later he would set a new lifetime best over the 3,000m distance, finishing in 8:25.43, taking third overall at the All-UC. In an early bout of speed work, Monroy dropped to the 1,500m at the UC Riverside Spring Track Classic, finding a new lifetime best in 3:55.26, and setting the stage for a 5k PR attempt one week later. He found it. Clipping a 14:21.49 effort at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival, Monroy showed he was in fine form heading into the championship portion of the season. He tried his hand at the 10,000m at the Mt. Sac Relays, finishing in 30:20.49, just off his lifetime best. At the Big West Championships he again showed that he is a big meet performer, placing fourth in the 10,000m and 8th in the 5,000m. His times were 31:13.10 and 14:48.39 respectively.
2014 Cross Country
Opened the year at No. 4, placing 29th at the Riverside Invite with a 24:59.6 8k performance. Helped the Gauchos place second at the Stanford Invite, taking the No. 5 slot with a 24:42 performance, good for 31st in the collegiate placings. Drifted back to No. 7 at Pre-Nationals, finishing 223 overall with a 26:18.8 clip. To some, Monroy was written off heading into the Big West Championship.
With their top-four slots all but locked up, the Gauchos knew their fate rested with their No. 5 man. Monroy would be the man to answer the call. Steadily gaining ground through the second half of the race, Monroy blazed in and out of the 100 year old grove that is the Riverside Ag course. When he emerged for the final sprint, four men in UCSB blue were waiting at the line. Monroy broke the tape in ninth, better than six other team's No. 1 man. His time of 24:26 was over a twenty second personal best.
After the race he simply said, "It had to be somebody. I just kept thinking, why not me?"
He capped the season with a 30:32.7 clip over the 10k distance at the NCAA West Regional, finishing 51st overall.
2013-2014 Track
Ran in ten races for the Gauchos in his debut track season. Competed in the 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m and in the 10,000m for the Gauchos, showing a wide range of ability in the distance events. Had a break out performance at the UCR Spring Break Invite, running 8:34.45 in the 3,000m and placing fourth overall. His next race was a 5,000m performance at the Cal-Nevada Championships where he ran 14:41.59 in the first time he contested a 5k on a track. In late season speed tune-up work, he fired off a 3:56.97 1,500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational. At the Cal Poly Dual Meet he entered in the 3,000m and lowered his PR to 8:27.80, an indication his speed and strength were in place going into the Big West Championship. At the Big West meet he delivered like a veteran, placing 6th in 5,000m (14:58.40) and 5th in the 10,000m (30:17.48), a performance beyond his years.
2013 Cross Country
Competed in four competitions for the Gauchos. Made his UCSB debut at the Sac State Inter-Regional Jamboree, clipping off an 8k time of 25:15.1, running in the No. 8 spot. Turned some heads at the Santa Clara Invite in his second competition, covering the 8k course in 24:47.0, taking 32nd in a talented field and running in No. 6. But it was his third race that really turned the attention to the Gaucho freshman harrier. In just his third competition, Monroy placed 15th overall at the Big West Cross Country Championships and secured the fifth scoring spot for the Gauchos. He was the third freshman to break the tape in the championship. Finished the season with a 10,000m performance of 31:33.9 at the NCAA West Regional, taking 80th overall.
Prep
Monroy attended Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA where he starred in cross country and track and field. He qualified for the CIF State Cross Country meet in 2010 and 2011. As a junior he placed 15th at the CIF State Championships in cross country in a 5,000m PR of 15:22. As a senior he won the Blue Division at the Mt. Sac Relays, covering the challenging course in 15:13. As a junior he shredded the course at Mt. Sac in a time of 14:45, recording the 8th fastest time overall. On the track, Monroy found success in the 1600m as a junior, running a personal best 4:15.10 at the Maurice Green Invite before stepping up to the 3,200m as a senior. He raced his way to the CIF-Finals in the 3,200m in 2012 and established a personal best on the way, clipping a 9:14.20 at the Arcadia Invitational. High school coach was John Peebles.
Personal
Parents are Eduardo and Dinora Monroy...Has one sibling, Valerie (17)...Majoring in Biological Sciences...Aspires to become a Physical Therapist or a Fire Fighter Paramedic...Was awarded the Mike Torrez Athlete of the Year Award at Burroughs High School...Likes playing ultimate frisbee and volunteering at the local hospital back in Burbank...Favorite book is Stephen King's The Stand...Personal hereos are his parents...Favorite aspect of collegiate running is the "competitive spirit and determination" of his teammates.
Collegiate Bests
1,500m- 3:55.26 (2015 UC Riverside Spring Track Classic)
3,000m - 8:25.43 (2015 All-UC)
5,000m- 14:21.49 (2014 San Francisco Distance Carnival)
10,000m- 30:17.48 (2014 Big West Championships)
Big West Championships
2015- 10,000m, 4th, 31:13.10
2015- 5,000m, 8th, 14:48.39
2014- 5,000m, 6th, 14:58.40
2014- 10,000m, 5th, 30:17.48
Big West Championships (Cross Country)
2015- 8k, 9th, 24:26.6
2013- 8k, 15th, 26:26.7
NCAA West Regional (Cross Country)
2014- 10k, 51st, 30:32.7
2013- 10k, 80th, 31:33.9
