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2025 Track & Field Roster

Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Communications
Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Communications

Saniya Ayala

  • Position Distances
  • Hometown Ashland, Ore.
  • Previous School St. Mary’s (Medford)
  • Major Sport Management

Biography

FRESHMAN
Participated in cross country for the Wildcats.
Ran a time of 25:23.90 in the 6,000 meters at the NWC Cross Country Championships.
Ran a personal best of 42:04.26 in the 10K at the Linfield Erik Anderson Icebreaker.
Placed 11th in the 800 meters at the 2024 Linfield Open with a time of 2:34.71.
Ran a college best of 5:23.88 in the 1500 meters.
Best 5K time is 20:34.13.
 
ST. MARY’S SCHOOL (MEDFORD)
Honor Roll
5A Team District champions 2021
3A District Champions
3rd Team All-State XC 2022
Hoka One One Postal Nationals Regional Winner
3rd Place 2021 5A State Champions
8th Place 3A State 3000m 2022
Scholar Athlete
All-State Academic Award
Five-time letter winner in Cross Country and track and field
Two-time letterwinner in Basketball (covid cancelled 1 season)
 
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Majoring in Sports Management.
Daughter of Rana and Ezra Ayala.
Also competes in cross country at Linfield.
 
WHY LINFIELD?
I chose to attend Linfield because of the competitive program and team culture, as well as the potential to exceed in my athletic goals.
 
WHAT DOES BEING A STUDENT-ATHLETE AT LINFIELD MEAN TO YOU?
Being a student-athlete here at Linfield means that I can put a lot of my focus into sports while pursuing my degree.
 
HOW HAS PARTICIPATING IN SPORTS MADE YOU A BETTER PERSON?
It has made me an even harder worker and has allowed me to truly test my limits. I have also met my best friends through playing sports and formed my closest relationships.
 
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?
Living the dream in my Mojo Dojo Casa House.
 
WHAT’S THE BEST CLASS YOU’VE TAKEN AT LINFIELD AND WHY? BNAC 259 was a fascinating class that taught me serious time management and made me appreciate my free time.
 
WHO HAS BEEN THE GREATEST INSPIRATION IN YOUR LIFE? WHY HAS HE OR SHE BEEN SO INFLUENTIAL? Trisha Paytas has been one of my greatest inspirations in my life. I am a huge fan and have been even before her YouTube days. She has been so influential and I relate deeply to all her different eras of her life. It makes me so happy that she has found her dream life and created her dream family and a life long partner, Moses. Her kids are the cutest and I love that they make her happy. Her success in her life is the reason I keep going and I live by her motto that someday everything will work out and that we will all get our "happily ever after", as Trish herself says.
 
THE GREATEST PRINCIPLE I’VE LEARNED WHILE COMPETING IN ATHLETICS AT LINFIELD HAS BEEN… The biggest lesson I have learned while running for Linfield is to stop overthinking.
 
AS A LINFIELD STUDENT-ATHLETE, MY GOALS INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY FOR MY TEAM ARE… To bring together my teammates so that we can all support each other, truly. For myself, I want to have a season that I am proud of.