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- Year:
- 1998-2000
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- Sports Played:
- Cross Country/Track and Field Athlete
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- Induction Year:
- 2009
Bio
An athletic career that did not start until her senior year of high school, Zoila Gomez became a fast learner, literally, for the Orange Coast College cross country and track programs. After helping the Mustangs to a state championship during her lone prep season, Gomez came to Coast and put together a two-year career for the ages. The cross country team NEVER suffered a defeat during her two seasons as she led the Pirates to back-to-back Orange Empire Conference, Southern California and state championships in 1998 and 1999. As a member of the Pirates track and field team, Zoila won eight individual Orange Empire Conference championships and four individual state titles, setting the school and state record in the 10,000 meters along the way. For her incredible stretch of success, Zoila was named OCC’s Female Athlete of the Year two years in a row. Only three other athletes — Tami LaVelle (Swimming), Julie Slattery (Tennis) and Humberto Rojas (Cross Country/Track) have earned this honor twice in Coast’s 61-year history.
Following her Coast career, Gomez moved on to Adams State College in Alamosa, CO, where she continued to dominate her competition. At ASC, Gomez won 10 conference titles, 11 All-American honors, six NCAA Division II national titles and was twice named the Division II Female Athlete of the Year (Cross Country in 2002 and Outdoor Track in 2004). Her hard work earned Zoila the 2004 Honda Award for Best Division II Athlete and to this day, she still holds the school record in the 10,000. After Adams State College, Gomez began her career as a marathon runner when she celebrated her U.S. citizenship by running in the 2005 New York City Marathon. Six marathons later, she represented the United States at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan and after a fourth-place performance at the 2008 Women’s Marathon Olympic Trials in Boston, Zoila became the marathon alternate for the 2008 USA Olympic Team.
