Pilots Sign Danny Martinez, California State XC Champion, to NLI

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots men’s cross country team will add another elite national recruit to the roster as Danny Martinez, the reigning California State Cross Country Champion and one of the top track distance runners in the nation, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Pilots.
  
Martinez, a native of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif., is the third runner to sign with the Pilots, joining Washington state standouts Izaic Yorks and Jacob Smith.

"We are extremely excited to add Danny Martinez to our 2012 recruiting class,” head coach Rob Conner said. “We identified Danny early and he has been on top of our recruiting list since day one. His potential on all fronts is virtually unlimited."

Martinez claimed the 2011 California Division III State Championship with a 5K time of 15:11, despite feeling sick on race day.

He also was the fifth fastest junior in the nation in the 3,200-meter run during the 2011 track season last spring with a time of 8:57.42. His top 1,600-meter run this spring clocked in at 4:13.87.

“Danny comes from a running family as his mom was a Division I cross country All-America, his dad is one of the top Masters runners in the United States, and his brother runs at Cal Poly. That is a great support group for Danny."