FORNEY, Texas — A North Forney High School graduate walk-on at Angelo State University will leave a lasting legacy with four nationally-qualified collegiate seasons in track & field and is now chasing a 2016 Rio Olympics qualification.
FORNEY, Texas — A North Forney High School graduate walk-on at Angelo State University will leave a lasting legacy with four nationally-qualified collegiate seasons in track & field and is now chasing a 2016 Rio Olympics qualification.
Luis Perez, a 2012 graduate of North Forney High School, was recently named the Lone Star Conference Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row while competing at ASU. The .
“Perez earned two All-American honors and national runner-up plaques and broke the ASU school record in the 400-meters,” stated the university’s athletic website.
“The senior ran 45.69 at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships and finished as the national runner-up. The time broke the school record and was the third fastest time ran in Division II this season.”
Perez also anchored the 4x400-meter relay team which finished as the national runner-ups for the second consecutive season with the third fastest time in school history of 3:07.13.
The athlete of the year honors were announced after Perez won the 200-meters, 400-meters, and 4x400-meter relay at the Lone Star Conference Championships.
During his collegiate career at ASU, Perez was a seven time All-American honoree, qualified for the national meet all four years, and owns five of the Top 10 400-meter times in school history. Perez was also named United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association South Central Male Track Athlete of the Year and, in addition to his school record in the 400-meter, holds the 2nd fastest 200-meter time in school history at 20.82.
“He is the first ASU athlete to earn three All-American honors in the 400-meters and led the ASU 4x400-meter relay to its eighth All-American honor in the last nine years,” according to the university.
“I wasn't sure if I would continue to compete collegiality because my senior season [in high school] was plagued with injuries,” Perez told inForney.com.
While at North Forney High School, Perez qualified for the UIL 2011 Track and Field State Championships in the 200-meter for which he was the first North Forney High School student to qualify for a state meet in track and field. Perez currently holds the school record in the 200-meter with a time of 22.17 set in 2011. Perez also holds Top 3 records in 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, No.1 in the 200-200-400-800-meter, and 11th in the long jump.
After some motivation from his best friend, Hakeen Regis, Perez took his chances as a walk-on at ASU.
“Workouts were tough and I felt like I was going no where,” Perez said. “My motivation to compete really started when a group of upperclassmen were talking about potential legs for the 4x4 and never brought my name up. That lit the fire under me and really motivated me to get better everyday.”
Perez is now running with the Puerto Rican National Team in hopes of qualifying a 4x4 for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Medals aren’t the only thing Perez is chasing. He graduated ASU with a bachelor's degree in business administration and is currently chasing a master’s degree in the same.
“I've never been the most athletic guy, but I can outwork a lot of people,” said Perez. “If anything, I always believed that I could beat anyone in a race.”