Former Eagle Pass Eagles Track Star Joseph Pena blazing new trails at Texas State University

By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

Former Eagle Pass High School Eagles standout track and field athlete Joseph Peña is blazing new trails in the collegiate ranks at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas as a member of the Bobcats Track and Field Team.

Peña was selected as a Team Captain of the Texas State University Bobcats Track and Field Team by his coaches and teammates.  During his impressive career at Texas State University, Peña is among the top 10 Bobcat runners in history with the third fastest time in the 5000 Meters Run with a time of 14:39, the third fastest in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase with a time of 9:15, and the fastest Bobcat time in the 10,000 Meters Run with a time of 31:32 at the 2016 NCAA South Central Regionals Cross Country Meet placing 31st overall.  He was named to the Second Team Sunbelt Conference Cross Country Team in 2016.

In the 2017 Indoor Track and Field Season, Peña earned a seventh place in the 3000 Meters Run a the Sunbelt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship with a time of 8:32.

During the 2016 Outdoor Track and Field Season, Peña ran for three top ten finishes including a third place in the 3000 Meters Steeple at the Baylor Invitational Track and Field Meet, a fourth place in the 2000 Meters Steeple at the Ricardo Romo Invitational, and tenth place in the 5000 Meters at the Michael Johnson Classic.

In the 2016 Indoor Track and Field Season, Peña finished in second place in the 3000 Meters at the Samford University Open Track and Field Meet and ran a career best of 15:23:47 in the 5000 Meters at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championship.

Peña is a versatile long distance runner for the highly competitive Texas State University Bobcats Track and Field Team, participating in the 1500 Meters, 3000 Meters, 5000 Meters, 2000 Meters Steeple, and 3000 Meters Steeple.

During the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Peña won the Silver Medal (2nd Place) in the 5000 Meter Run with a time of 14:39 and a Bronze Medal (3rd Place) in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase with a time of 9:15.

In the 2015 Indoor Track and Field season, Peña ran a career indoor best in the 3000 Meters Run of 8:38:86 while finishing fourth in the Houston Tune Up Indoor Track and Field Meet and earned eighth place at the Texas A & M University Aggie Indoor Invitational Track and Field Meet.

During the 2014 Outdoor Track and Field Season, Peña ran his career best in the 1500 Meters Run with a time of 4:08:88 at the University of Texas at San Antonio Invitational Track and Field Meet, finished third place at the Texas State University Bobcat Invitational in the 3000 Meters Run with a time of 8:50:82, finished in second place in the 5000 Meter with the time of 15:32:49 at the Bobcat Invitational, and finished third place at the prestigious Texas Invitational Track and Field Meet in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase.  During 2014, Peña enjoyed five top 10 finishes and three top five finishes for a stellar Outdoor Track and Field Season.

In the 2014 Indoor Track and Field Season, Peña finished third place in the 5000 Meter Run at the Howie Ryan Indoor Invitational Track and Field Meet.

Peña hopes to break his personal career best times and win the Sun Belt Conference Championship in several events during the 2017 Outdoor Track and Field Season.  The 2017 Outdoor Season is his last year of eligibility at Texas State University.

Peña graduated from Texas State University with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science and is now enrolled in graduate school in the McCoy School of Business studying for a Master of Business Administration.

The Eagle Pass Business Journal congratulates Texas State University Bobcat Joseph Peña on his outstanding career in track and field and wishes him great success in the 2017 Outdoor Season and future endeavors.