Aaron Ramirez
Inducted 2015
Hometown: Mission
High School: Mission High School
College: Texas A&M University and The University of Arizona
Best Known for: Long Distance Running
Ramirez was not just one of the best long-distance runners in the Rio Grande Valley or the state of Texas. He established himself as one of the best in the nation during his era.
His specialty was distance running, and his time of 9:07.18 in the 3,200-meter run in 1982 haw stood as a Valley record for 33 years. After graduating from Mission High School, Ramirez signed with Texas A&M University but transferred after one year to The University of Arizona.
At Arizona, he set the collegiate distance running world on fire from 1984-87. He won the Pacific-10 and District 8 Cross Country championship to qualify for the NCAA Men’s Cross-Country Championships. There, Ramirez won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 30:27.53. He ended his collegiate career by winning the Pac-10 and District 8 titles. He finished his career at Arizona ranked in the Top 10 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run.
Ramirez was a finalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials, and was a member of the U.S. team at the World Cross Country Championships in 1989, 1990 and 1991. At the 1992 Olympic Trials, Ramirez qualified in the 10,000-meter run to earn a trip the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. At the Games, he finished in 13th place in his heat with a time of 29:00.12.