Just as the senior photo banners are being put away and the graduation parties wrap up for senior athletes, it’s time to pack the bags and head off to Vegas. Well almost Vegas; actually Henderson, Nevada and the College of Southern Nevada (C.S.N) home of the Coyotes.
Iyessa Arriaga, a 2022 graduate of Grants High School, received a text a month ago from C.S.N. head track and field coach, Bryan Astudillo, the current Head Women’s Cross Country coach, who asked her to be part of the inaugural women’s cross-country program at C.S.N.
“I was amazed that it was the first year for the program and I was shocked that he (Astudillo) wanted me to be part of this new team,” said Arriaga. “I would have a good chance to build my time and give me an opportunity to be part of that first team of the school.”
“Compared to other schools, the coach (Astudillo) was outgoing and he made me feel like I was making a good choice,” said Arraiga when asked what other reasons she chose C.S.N over other colleges she had the opportunity to attend. “I met one of the other team members, it seems like it will be fun and I will be right at home and I will even have a roommate from the team.”
Arriaga who ran a variety of track and field events for the Pirates says that she is the strongest in the 800-meter run and the sprint medley. A couple of recent race times for Arriaga in the girls 1600-meter run saw her time at 6:12 and in the girl’s 800 meter run she had a time of 2:35.
Arriaga will prepare over the summer with weekly workouts that include weight lifting, ladders, 4x2’s and running trails. Arraiga say she will miss her teammates at Grants High School with whom she has run track with since their freshman year.
Arraiga signed her letter of intent surrounded by her track coach, Cody Hayes, her mother and friends and family as her future college coach looked on via Zoom on the internet.