As recently as 2015, Stephanie Ruiz was a member of the Cerritos College track and field and cross country teams. She will be beginning her second season as a member of the Falcons cross country coaching staff. Upon graduating from Cerritos, Ruiz transferred to Cal State Fullerton, where she spent two seasons on the cross country and track and field teams. In cross country, she was part of the team’s top seven runners that placed 15th as a team at the NCAA Regional Championships. While on the track and field team, she specialized in the 5000 meters (17.51) and 10,000 meters (37.28).

As a member of the Falcons cross country team, Ruiz came in 57th place at the CCCAA State Championships after taking 39th place at the Southern California Championships. She earned 2nd Team All-South Coast Conference in both of her seasons after coming in ninth place as a sophomore and eighth her freshman year. In her freshman year, she led the team to a fifth place finish at the state championships.

While with the Falcons, Ruiz qualified for the CCCAA State Championships in the 10,000 meters as a sophomore and finished in 10th place after a 13th place finish at the Southern California Championships took second place at the South Coast Conference. Her contributions helped the team win the state championship. Ruiz also took 10th place in the 5000 meters at the SoCal Championships and finished fourth in the conference championships.

A graduate of Western High, Ruiz was voted her cross country team’s Most Valuable Player three years in a row and the track team’s MVP her senior season. She also earned the school’s Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Ruiz, 22, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from Cal State Fullerton in 2017.