Guadalupe Ambriz, or “Lupe” as she often went by, had one amazing story. At eight she moved with her parents from Mexcio, as one of six children to East Los Angeles . An indomitable spirit helped her to overcome many obstacles which may have prevented a lesser person from realizing the dream of a college education.
With the help of her high school coach, a former student of Coach Jim Crakes, she enrolled at Point Loma in the fall of 1990. This unlikely enrollment was the launching pad for an academic career that was truly outstanding.
Just an average high school distance runner, Ambriz made athletic history in her four-year collegiate career. Steady progression turned this petite running machine into a national class performer.
She finished 18th as a freshman in her initial District Three Cross Country Championship. By the time she was a junior she had won the GSAC Championship and was runner-up in the NAIA District Three meet. In track and field she was an All-American as a fifth-place finisher in the NAIA 3,000m run. She also won the CSA Outstanding Female Athlete Award and was a Dean’s Scholar.
Perhaps the highlight of her senior year cross country season was when she won the prestigious Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto by more than 12 seconds. Her second place in the GSAC Championship and third in the District Three Championship rounded out an impressive cross country career. When the 1994 track season was finished, Amriz had set school records in the 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, and was once again an NAIA All-American with runner-up finishes in both the 3000m and 5000m at the NAIA National Championships in Azusa.
Following graduation, Ambriz went to work for a financial institution in the Los Angeles area. She also went back to school to attain her teaching credential. Ambriz made it a point to continue her athletic career and was runner-up in the Catalina Island 10-miler.
The award for Outstanding Achievement by an Athlete was presented to Ambriz by Bob Brower.
