2023: Participated in seven meets…Recorded team best in 800 meters (1.54.86 (personal best) – Causeway Classic)…Finished first on two occasions – the aforementioned 800 meters and the 1,500 meters (3:55.33) at the Aggie Open…Had personal best in the 1,500 meters (3:51.25) at the Bryan Clay Invitational
2022: Participated in six meets…Finished first in 1,500 meters (3:57.10) at the Causeway Classic…Had four top ten finishes…Had personal best in 3,000 meters (8:32.08) at the Aggie Open
2021 XC: Competed in six meets… Placed 26th at the Big West Conference Championship with a time of 24:52.9… Best finish of the season came at the Pacific Invitational when he crossed the line in fifth in a time of 26:17.4… Ran a 10k time of 33:31.7 to place 169th at the NCAA West Regional… Opened the season with a 35th place showing at the Stump Invitational with a time of 24:39.9… Placed 15th at the Bronco Invitational with a time of 26:17.4… Finished 137th at the Dellinger Invite with a time of 25:51.8.
2021 T&F: Led Aggies in 5K, running season-best 14:45.57 at home in Causeway Track Classic (4/30)... Placed 23rd (15:39.23) at Big West Conference Championships two weeks later.
2020 XC: Season cancelled by COVID-19 pandemic.
2020 T&F: Competed in 3,000 (8:42.43) at Cal Opener before COVID-19 shut down remainder of the season.
2019 XC: Recorded a personal best at the Dellinger Invite (9./13) when he ran the 8k course in 25:10.1... Finished within the top 100 at the NCAA West Regional by crossing 85th with a time of 31:32.2... This was the highest finish for a UC Davis freshman since Brandon Pugh ended the 2012 West Regional in 65th place.
MONACHE HS ’19: Ran track and cross country all four years for Monache HS… Frosh/Soph East Yosemite League Champion in cross… Two-time varsity league runner up before winning the league title senior year… Four-time team league champions… In track, finished runner-up in the varsity league 3200m before winning the individual championship the next two years… Two-time Central Section 3200m runner-up… Also won the East Yosemite League 1600m junior and senior year.
PERSONAL: From Porterville, Calif… Parents are Roberto and Maria Mendez… Has four older siblings, Jessica, Crystal, Roberto, and Daisy… Most people don’t know he didn’t do any sports before high school… Career sports highlight is winning the 2017 CIF Central Section DII Cross Country Championships… Favorite movie is Remember the Titans… Bucket list includes traveling to Paris, skydiving, and sponsoring a child… Chose UC Davis Athletics because the coaches are super friendly and understanding, and the school offers a Division I program with the opportunity to help him grow as an athlete.
