Valeria Paez Rueda – Biography

Valeria Paez Rueda is a Mexican multi-event track and field athlete who competes for the University of Nevada while representing Mexico in international competition. Specializing in the heptathlon and pentathlon, Paez Rueda has emerged as one of Mexico’s top multi-event athletes, combining elite athletic performance with a massive social media following that has made her one of the most recognizable collegiate track and field athletes in both the United States and Mexico.

Athletic Career & Accomplishments

Primary Events

Multi-Events:

• Heptathlon (outdoor) – Primary specialty
• Pentathlon (indoor)
• Individual events: High jump, 100-meter hurdles, long jump

Individual Event Specialties:

• 100-meter hurdles
• 60-meter hurdles (indoor)
• High jump
• Long jump

Personal Bests & Performances

Multi-Events:

• Heptathlon: 4,911 points (2024 outdoor season) – Personal Best
• Pentathlon: 3,586 points (2024 indoor season) – 8th all-time in Nevada history

Individual Events:

• 60-meter hurdles: 8.86 seconds (February 27, 2025, Albuquerque, NM)
• 100-meter hurdles: 14.64 seconds (May 3, 2025)
• High jump: 1.67 meters (June 3, 2022, Morelia, Mexico)
• Long jump: 5.67 meters (April 11, 2025)

World Rankings

As of 2025, Valeria Paez Rueda holds the following World Athletics rankings:

• #487 in Women’s Heptathlon
• #1254 in Women’s High Jump
• #1682 in Women’s 100m Hurdles
• #2084 in Women’s Long Jump

Collegiate Career – University of Nevada

Institution & Team

University: University of Nevada, Reno Team: Nevada Wolf Pack Conference: Mountain West Conference Division: NCAA Division I Position: Multi-Event Athlete Coach: Scott Williamson

Recruitment & College Choice

Paez Rueda chose Nevada over interest from Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The deciding factor was coach Scott Williamson, who had previously guided two Wolf Pack multi-event athletes to All-American status, demonstrating his expertise in developing elite heptathletes and pentathletes.

Freshman Season (2022-23)

Indoor Championships:

• 11th place in high jump at Mountain West Indoor Championships
• 14th place in pentathlon

Outdoor Championships:

• 8th place in heptathlon at Mountain West Outdoor Championships

International Representation:

• Represented Mexico at Under-20 National Championships, winning several medals
• Established herself as a dual-sport representative

Sophomore Season (2023-24)

Significant Improvement:

Indoor Season:

• 5th place in pentathlon at Mountain West Indoor Championships
• 17th place in high jump
• Personal record: 3,586 points in pentathlon (8th all-time in Nevada history)

Outdoor Season:

• 7th place in heptathlon at Mountain West Outdoor Championships
• Personal best: 4,911 points
• Scored in both individual high jump and heptathlon at conference championships (rare dual accomplishment)

2023 Pan American U20 Championships (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico):

• Represented Mexico in heptathlon
• Qualified through ranking based on 4,846-point performance at Mountain West Championships
• Competed at José A. Figueroa Freyre Stadium (August 4-5, 2023)

Spring 2024 Highlights:

• 3rd place in heptathlon at Aztec Invitational (San Diego State)
• New personal records: Javelin throw (33.73m), Overall points (4,867)
• Continued progression in all seven heptathlon events

Junior Season (2024-25)

Indoor Season:

• Competed in multiple pentathlon competitions
• Continued setting personal bests in hurdles events
• Maintained position as Nevada’s top multi-event athlete

Outdoor Season:

• Seven outdoor meets competed
• Continued improvement in individual events
• Building toward senior year and potential international championships

Nevada School Records

All-Time Rankings at Nevada:

• 8th all-time in pentathlon (3,586 points)
• 9th all-time in pentathlon (earlier mark)
• Multiple top-10 performances in various events

International Competition Experience

Representing Mexico

2023 Pan American U20 Championships: Paez Rueda’s qualification for this championship represented a significant milestone, competing against the best under-20 athletes from across the Americas.

Mexican U20 National Championships (2022):

• Multiple medals won
• Established herself as one of Mexico’s premier youth multi-event athletes

National Team Status: According to coach Scott Williamson, Paez Rueda is “already one of the top multi-event athletes in Mexico and has a chance to compete internationally for her country.”

Future International Goals

Olympic Aspirations: “After I’m done with Nevada, I will want to still compete and try to accomplish more international meets, especially the Olympics,” Paez Rueda stated.

Mexican National Record: Her stated goal is to break Mexico’s heptathlon national record, which would require adding approximately 900 points to her current total—an ambitious but achievable long-term goal given her consistent improvement trajectory.

Education & Background

Academic Institution

High School: Instituto Educativo Olinca (Mexico City, Mexico)

• Graduated before joining Nevada in 2022

University: University of Nevada, Reno

• Currently a junior (as of 2024-25 season)
• Balancing rigorous academic requirements with elite athletics
• Student-athlete in NCAA Division I program

Family Background

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico

Family:

• Mother: Former swimmer
• Father: Former soccer player
• Only child

Paez Rueda is extremely close to her family, particularly her mother. The transition to Reno was emotionally difficult initially due to the distance from her family in Mexico City.

“They really push me,” she said about her family’s support. “At the beginning when I came here, it was really hard, especially for my mom, because I’m really close to my family and I’m an only child.”

Her athletic family background provided a foundation of understanding about the dedication required for elite sports, with both parents having competed at high levels in their respective sports.

Athletic Background & Early Interests

Martial Arts Dreams

UFC Aspirations: Before discovering track and field, Paez Rueda had an unusual athletic dream—she wanted to become a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter.

“I used to fight with my dad,” Paez Rueda explained, “so I know a little bit of fighting and I always loved to fight.”

“I wanted to go to UFC, but my mom never let me because she said they were going to punch me really hard,” she said with characteristic humor.

Taekwondo Career: When UFC was off the table due to parental concerns about her safety, Paez Rueda discovered taekwondo, inspired by Mexican taekwondo star María Espinoza (Olympic gold medalist).

“I found taekwondo and there was a really good Mexican taekwondo girl, her name was Maria Espinoza, and I really liked how she fights.”

The athleticism, discipline, and competitive spirit developed through taekwondo would later translate perfectly to the demands of multi-event track and field competition.

Transition to Track and Field

The competitive nature that drew her to combat sports found a new outlet in heptathlon and pentathlon, where athletes must excel in seven (or five) completely different disciplines, requiring:

• Speed (sprints and hurdles)
• Power (jumps and throws)
• Endurance (800 meters)
• Technical proficiency across all events
• Mental toughness to compete over two days

Social Media Phenomenon

Building a Massive Following

Paez Rueda has become one of the most followed collegiate track and field athletes in the United States, with a social media presence that rivals professional athletes:

Instagram: Almost 60,000 followers TikTok: More than 280,000 followers, with 3.4 million likes

Content & Brand

Modeling Background: Paez Rueda had modeling experience before becoming a track and field star, which contributed to her understanding of social media, personal branding, and visual content creation.

“In Mexico, it’s really big,” she said about her social media following. “I never thought about it until I became a national champion and I started having a lot of followers.”

Athletic + Personality

Her social media success stems from combining:

• Elite athletic performances
• Engaging personality and charisma
• Behind-the-scenes content from training and competitions
• Connection with fans in both Mexico and the United States
• Authentic representation of the student-athlete experience

Coach Scott Williamson noted her personality evolution: “When she first got to the U.S., she was a little hesitant to let that out. So, just kind of seeing her become herself and being more charismatic and be her natural self has been a lot of fun.”

Impact on Wolf Pack Athletics

Paez Rueda has become one of Nevada’s most popular athletes, helping raise the profile of:

• Wolf Pack track and field program
• Women’s athletics at Nevada
• Multi-event competitions (often less visible than individual sprint/jump events)
• International student-athletes in American collegiate sports

Personal Characteristics & Interests

Competitive Spirit

Her background in combat sports reveals a fundamental aspect of her character—she is a fighter, both literally and figuratively. This competitive fire translates into:

• Willingness to push through pain in multi-day competitions
• Mental toughness in difficult events
• Determination to improve consistently
• Drive to represent Mexico on the world stage

Cultural Identity

Mexican Heritage: “Paez Rueda’s Mexican heritage is important to her,” as noted in features about her. She proudly represents Mexico in international competition while studying in the United States, maintaining strong connections to her home country.

Bilingual & Bicultural: Navigating life as a Mexican athlete at an American university, Paez Rueda bridges two cultures, speaking both Spanish and English and maintaining followers in both countries.

Personality

According to those who know her:

• Charismatic and outgoing once comfortable
• Sense of humor (evident in her social media content and interviews)
• Driven and goal-oriented
• Family-oriented despite geographic distance
• Natural entertainer with modeling background

Interests Beyond Athletics

• Modeling: Professional experience and continued interest
• Social Media Content Creation: Builds engaging content for large following
• Combat Sports: Maintains interest in taekwondo and MMA as a fan
• Fashion & Style: Evident through modeling work and social media presence

The Heptathlon Challenge

Understanding the Heptathlon

The heptathlon is one of track and field’s most demanding events, requiring excellence across seven disciplines over two days:

Day 1:

1. 100-meter hurdles
2. High jump
3. Shot put
4. 200 meters

Day 2: 5. Long jump 6. Javelin throw 7. 800 meters

Success requires:

• Speed and power (sprints, hurdles, jumps)
• Technical proficiency (throws, hurdles, jumps)
• Endurance (800 meters after six other events)
• Mental toughness (competing over two days, often in varying conditions)
• Versatility (seven completely different skill sets)

Paez Rueda’s Strengths

High Jump: One of her strongest events, she has scored in this individual event at Mountain West Championships—a rare achievement for a heptathlete to also score individually.

Hurdles: Consistent improvement in both 60m and 100m hurdles, with personal bests continuing to drop.

Long Jump: Solid performances contributing significant points to her total.

Areas of Development

Like all heptathletes, Paez Rueda continues working on:

• Throwing events (shot put and javelin)
• 800-meter endurance
• Consistency across all seven events
• Race strategy and pacing

Coaching & Development

Coach Scott Williamson

Williamson’s expertise in multi-events was crucial to Paez Rueda’s decision to attend Nevada. His track record includes:

• Two previous Wolf Pack multi-event athletes earning All-American honors
• Understanding of the unique demands of heptathlon/pentathlon
• Ability to develop athletes across seven different disciplines
• Experience preparing athletes for international competition

Training Philosophy

The multi-event program at Nevada emphasizes:

• Technical development in all seven events
• Strategic competition planning
• Mental preparation for two-day competitions
• Individual event improvement contributing to overall points
• Balancing training across diverse disciplines

Career Goals & Aspirations

Breaking Mexican Heptathlon Record

Paez Rueda’s stated goal is to break Mexico’s national heptathlon record. Coach Williamson noted this would require adding “another 900 or so points” to her current total of approximately 4,900 points.

This goal is ambitious but realistic given:

• Consistent year-over-year improvement
• Still developing technically in some events
• Multiple years of eligibility remaining
• Continued physical development
• Access to elite coaching and facilities

Olympic Dreams

“After I’m done with Nevada, I will want to still compete and try to accomplish more international meets, especially the Olympics.”

The Olympic heptathlon represents the pinnacle of multi-event competition, and Paez Rueda’s trajectory suggests potential qualification for future Games, particularly as she continues improving.

Post-Collegiate Career

Plans include:

• Continuing elite competition after graduation
• Representing Mexico at senior international championships
• Potential World Championships participation
• Pursuit of Olympic qualification and competition
• Maintaining connection to athletics through competition or coaching

Impact & Legacy

For Nevada Wolf Pack

Paez Rueda has:

• Elevated the profile of Nevada track and field nationally
• Broken into school all-time top-10 lists
• Represented Nevada at international championships
• Brought social media attention to the program
• Demonstrated what international recruitment can achieve

For Mexican Athletics

As one of Mexico’s top multi-event athletes, she:

• Represents Mexico at international youth and U20 championships
• Inspires young Mexican athletes to pursue heptathlon
• Maintains visibility of Mexican track and field in U.S. collegiate system
• Works toward breaking national records
• Could become Mexico’s Olympic heptathlon representative

For Women’s Multi-Events

Through her combination of:

• Elite performance
• Massive social media following
• Engaging personality
• International representation

Paez Rueda brings unprecedented attention to women’s heptathlon and pentathlon, events that often receive less coverage than individual track events.

The Road Ahead

As Paez Rueda continues her collegiate career and pursues her Olympic dreams, she remains focused on:

• Consistent improvement in all seven heptathlon events
• Scoring higher at Mountain West Championships
• Qualifying for NCAA Championships
• Representing Mexico at senior international competitions
• Breaking Mexican national records
• Building toward Olympic qualification
• Completing her degree at Nevada
• Leveraging her social media platform positively

From Mexico City to Reno, Nevada, and potentially to Olympic stadiums worldwide, Valeria Paez Rueda’s journey combines elite athleticism, social media savvy, cultural pride, and Olympic ambition—making her one of the most compelling stories in collegiate track and field.

Valeria Paez Rueda embodies the modern student-athlete: excelling in one of track and field’s most demanding events, representing her country internationally, building a massive social media following, and maintaining authentic connections to her heritage and family—all while pursuing education and Olympic dreams. Her story inspires athletes in both Mexico and the United States, proving that with talent, dedication, and charisma, collegiate athletes can achieve excellence while maintaining their identity and building their brand.

Go Valeria!