Although she hasn't raced competitively for six months, UC Riverside's two-time All American Brenda Martinez was still in the news as 2009 faded into the rear view mirror. Two of the nation's leading online track and field publications listed Martinez among their Best of 2009 in year-end postings.
Flotrack.org named Martinez their "
Athlete to Look For in 2010" as part of their end of year recap writing that "she'll be coming into her final season at UC Riverside as the NCAA mid-distance favorite with marks of 2:00 and 4:09. Look out for this one in 2010.... " The linked Flotrack page also has additional links to a number of Martinez's full races and interviews from 2009.
LetsRun.com ranked the Rancho Cucamonga native eighth in the US in the 1500m for 2009 following her Big West Championship, NCAA West Region Championship and impressive display in winning numerous European meets during the summer. The site also ranked Martinez ninth in the US in the 800m after she won the Big West Championship and lowered her personal best to 2:00.85. She is the only athlete to make both the 800m and 1500m lists in the LetsRun.com rankings.
Martinez began building her 2009 resume early in the year as she broke the school record in the indoor mile on February 14. Later in the spring, she would participate in the NCAA Indoor Championship finishing seventh in the mile earning All-America honors in the process—the first such honor for a UC Riverside female athlete in the Division I era.
During the outdoor season, Martinez ran the fastest time in the nation in the 1500m at one point, and would go on to win both the 1500m and 800m at the Big West Conference Championship. Those performances helped earn her Big West Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors and the UC Riverside Female Athlete of the Year Award.
She followed that up with an NCAA Regional Championship in the 1500m and a second place finish in the 1500m at the NCAA Track & Field Championship. The rising senior ran the 800m at the USA Track & Field Championships, advancing to the finals.
Martinez saved her best for last, however, as she traveled to Europe during the summer to compete in six races against top competition from around the globe in the 800m and 1500m. She broke her personal bests and UC Riverside records in those events while winning four of the six races in which she participated.
Brenda Martinez In 2009
Brenda Martinez's European Tour Ends With Win In 1500m In Ninove, Belgium
Brenda Martinez Takes Second In 800 In Wattenscheid, Germany
PRESS-ENTERPRISE - Martinez Enjoys Life As A Runner In Europe
Martinez Avoids Collision, Takes 5th In 1500m At Leverkusen, Germany Meet
Three Wins In A Row For Martinez, Lowers UCR Record Again
Brenda Martinez Wins 1500m In Belgium Taking Four Seconds Off Personal Best
Brenda Martinez Tops Past Two NCAA 800m Champions In Belgium
Martinez 9th At 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship
Martinez Advances To 800m Finals Following Controversial Semifinal Race
Brenda Martinez Advances To Friday's Semifinals at USA T&F Championships
Martinez Takes Second In 1500m At NCAA Track & Field Championships
Martinez West Regional Champion In The 1500m
Martinez Advances To Finals of NCAA West Regional
Brenda Martinez In Search Of Additional Hardware For Her Trophy Case
Martinez Honored With The UCR Female Athlete of the Year Award
Brenda Martinez Named 2009 Big West Women's Track Athlete of the Year
Women Third At Big West Track & Field Championships
SAN BERNARDINO SUN - Brenda Martinez Runs Past Medical Scare
Brenda Martinez Ranked 17th In The World (The Whole World) In 1500m
Brenda Martinez Runs Fastest 1500m Time In The Nation
Martinez Finishes Seventh At NCAAs, Earns All-America Honors
Martinez Advances To Finals In NCAAs In The Indoor Mile
Brenda Martinez To Compete In NCAA Indoor T&F Championships
Martinez Breaks UCR Mile Mark, Becomes First Highlander Indoor Qualifier