Stacy Salazar Signs National Letter-of-Intent with ENMU Women's Cross Country Team

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University head cross country coach Joel McMullen has announced the signing of Stacy Salazar, from Sandia High School, to a National Letter-of-Intent to run for the Zias next season. Salazar, from Albuquerque, N.M., will be a freshman during the 2005-06 academic year and is the daughter of Ernie and Josie Salazar.

McMullen and his assistant coach, Matthew Gordillo, have recruited to rebuild and add depth to both the men’s and women’s cross country teams for the upcoming season, focusing primarily on the tremendous amount of talented runners throughout New Mexico. The Zia cross country squad finished ninth in the Lone Star Conference in 2004.

Salazar is strong both academically and athletically. She is in the top 25% of her high school graduating class and has received numerous accolades for her academic and athletic achievements. Her awards include: Academic Achievement Award Winner, 2001-04; Who’s Who Among American High School Students, 2001-04; Athletic Achievement Award Winner, 2001-02; National Security in Democracy Presidential Classroom, selected attendee in 2003; Cross Country First Team All-District 2-5A, 2001-04; Sandia HS Most Valuable Runner, 2001, 2004; District 2-5A Track and Field Championships, second place in 3200-meter run; Sandia HS Distance Runner Varsity Track Coaches Award, 2002; District 2-5A Champion, 2002, 2003; All-City Team (Albuquerque), 2003; Class 5A All-State Team, 2002; Albuquerque Female Athlete of the Month for October, 2003.

“Stacy was our first recruit to verbally commit this year," McMullen said. “I saw her run at the District Championships last fall and knew that we needed her on this team. Her credentials in and out of the classroom speak for themselves. She was one of the top 10 senior runners in Class 5A this past fall, and she was outstanding in the classroom.

“She will help this team contend for a conference championship and be one of our top scholar-athletes,” McMullen added. “Her parents, Josie and Ernie, are wonderful and are extremely excited to see her excel in the classroom and against NCAA competition. I cannot say enough about how much her signing with us means to this program and to me personally. We now have two signees from Sandia who finished in the upper bracket of the 2004 State Championships in 5A. Obviously, this speaks volumes about the kind of program they have there. We are so very fortunate to have Stacy as a Zia.”

Stacy Salazar
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sandia HS