Aceves Wins SCC Women's Athlete of the Year

By Tadzio Garcia

Cross country defending state champion All-American Laura Aceves of East Los Angeles College won a second consecutive South Coast Conference Women's Athlete of the Year award.

Each cross country program in the SCC receives one vote and could have had up to one nomination. Aceves was nominated, ran unopposed and won in a unanimous decision by the SCC college representatives.

Aceves is undefeated this year against SCC head-to-head competition.

Sophomore All-American Sierra Ungerman of Mt. San Antonio College was Aceves' closest SCC competition. Aceves ran faster than Ungerman an average of 15.4 seconds in four 5-kilometer meets this year and an average of 49.2 faster than the next closest SCC finisher in five races.

Aceves said she began running four years ago. "It turned out to be something that felt good so I began timing myself right away to improve," Aceves said.

Aceves began team competition while at ELAC last year. She placed 8th at the 2013 SoCal Cross Country Preview in 19:41.6 minutes, a time she bested in every meet thereafter.

"We trained her to finish with her best time at state (2013 California Community College Athletic Association Cross Country Championships)," ELAC Head Coach Louis Ramirez said.

"She followed directions unlike anyone I've known. We never had to repeat anything. She was focused on improving her times rather than winning races, a sign of a champion."

Aceves ran a personal record at state.

"My goal this year is to continue to improve in cross country and track and field next semester," Aceves said.

"I will transfer to a four-year university and take my running then to the next level. Coach Ramirez has taught me so much and I thank him for his guidance."

Aceves will run a marathon in January with hopes running 2:36.00. The 2016 Olympic qualifying standard time is 2:37.00.

Aceves will pursue Olympic gold in long distance running according to Ramirez, but exactly which races are unknown at this time. Aceves is the 2013 CCCAA state champion in the 10,000-k and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

According to Aceves, she has a goal of surpassing the current CCCAA women's cross counry state finals record of 17:06.0, which was run by ELAC's Sylvia Mosqueda in 1985.

Mosqueda left the ELAC cross country team after her freshman year to train for the 1986 Los Angeles Marathon.

National television coverage focused on her for the first 20 miles because she was an unknown who had an overwhelming lead.

Mosqueda, however, dropped out of the marathon just thereafter, but came in second place the following year.

The CCCAA state finals are Nov. 22 at Woodward Park in Fresno.