Karla Atencio has led her team...and the PCC...and the state in Cross Country this fall. As the number one runner on the SWC women's cross-country team, freshman Karla Atencio (Hilltop HS) ran down her competition to help the team to a Pacific Coast Conference Championship title (1st place individually), 3rd place team finish at Southern California Regionals (8th place individually), and 5th place team finish at State (7th place individually). Her performance at the State Championships won her All-American honors.

Karla began running as a freshman in high school, barely making the varsity as the 6th or 7th runner on the team (top seven are varsity). At the time, her two best friends were better runners than she was. She said she made a choice to improve her ability and trained on her own the summer before her sophomore year in order to come back for the following season as the number two runner for her team. SHE IS A DETERMINED ATHLETE. Karla proved her dedication in a top performance at the Mt. SAC Invitational this last October when at the start of the race another runner stepped on her heel and she lost her shoe. She ran the entire 3 mile, dirt and rock, hilly course in her sock and finished 3rd. She says that "you just have to believe in yourself, that it is up to you to get where you want to be." Her goals also include finishing her communications major and one day becoming a reporter.

She does thank her SWC coaches though, for her training and how they changed her as an athlete and how they believed in her. Head Coach Duro Agbede said that Karla exceeded his expectations this season, "that she has come a long way and her success was due to her consistantly hard work."  Karla says that she just loves to run, that it is her therapy when needed or just her time to be herself. The team did face a few challenges this year including several injuries and despite some disappointments at the end of the season (they hoped for a higher place finish at State) Karla is very proud of her team.

Karla's nickname on the team was "Pac Man." She had a reputation of always having sugary snacks in her gear bag and was constantly being caught by coaches and teammates with candy and treats. She said jokingly that Coach Duro would often search her bag at practice and confiscate her snacks. Regardless, "Pac Man" continues to eat up her competition on the cross-country course and we look forward to seeing her eat up the competition in the up-coming track season as well.