Tim Ramirez
Arguably the finest distance runner in Azusa Pacific history, Ramirez is a 13-time NAIA All-American in track & field. He is a 2-time individual champion, both coming in the 800 meters, and he led 3 other 4x800 relays to NAIA crowns as well during his collegiate career that began in 2002. As a mere sophomore, he burst into the elite of NAIA track & field by surprisingly sweeping the NAIA indoor and outdoor 800 crowns. He was a key figure in guiding Azusa Pacific to the NAIA indoor championship that season.
Ramirez spent the 2004 season at the University of Arizona but returned the following year to Azusa Pacific. After an injury-plagued 2005, Ramirez came back this past spring to fashion a tremendous senior year in which he shattered a pair of school records and emerged as an athlete with international-competition ability.
As a 2006 senior, Ramirez broke the 800- and 1500-meter school records, all within a week’s time and in his final meets as a Cougar. In mid-May at the Occidental Invitational, Ramirez broke a 30-year school record when he ran a 3:45.22 in the 1500 to better Dennis Caldwell’s 1976 standard of 3:45.72.
Then on national television, Ramirez came back 8 days later to shatter by 1 minute and 18 seconds the school record in the 800, running a 1:46.89 to finish second in the Adidas Track Classic held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Like Caldwell’s mark in the 1500, Ramirez’s 800 record should stand the test of time in Cougar track annuals.
Tim is 1 of 4 Ramirez siblings to run track at Azusa Pacific. His older brother (Chris) and sister (Laurie) along with his younger brother (Tony) have all earned honors in Cougar track & field. Tim prepped at Royal High in Simi Valley, Calif.
By Gary Pine (2006)
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