Hall of Fame
Arguably, the greatest distance runner in Azusa Pacific history, Aron Rono was a 15-time NAIA track & field champion, which included eight indoor titles, the most in NAIA history. Upon his arrival to campus, he proceeded to lead the Cougars to three straight NAIA indoor national championships (2007-08-09) and along the way was named the championship meet’s Most Outstanding Performer in 2008. In cross country, he won the NAIA crown in 2007 and 2008, becoming the only Cougar ever to win the individual national title. Perhaps his most impressive feat, however, came at the 2008 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship Meet when he became the first person ever (and still the only) to win the 10,000- 5,000- and 1,500-meter races in the same championship meet, completing an unprecedented distance triple crown. For the record, he won the NAIA mile four times (including his 2006 season at Lindenwood University), the indoor 3000 twice, the indoor 5000, the outdoor 10,000 four times (the only athlete in NAIA history to do so), the 1500 meters twice and the 5000 once. He anchored three consecutive NAIA distance medley championship relays, including the 2009 quartet that set the NAIA record at 9:50.88. As a 2009 senior, he set the NAIA record in the indoor mile at 4:03.74. In his three years at Azusa Pacific, he set the school records the mile (4:01.30), 5000 (13:33.37) and 10,000 (28:13.75). Rono as a three-time Golden State Athletic Conference cross country individual champion, and led the Cougars to the 2008 team title.
Aron Rono Career Bests at Azusa Pacific (2006-09)
1000 1500 Mile 5000 10,000
2:24.10 3:40.71* 4:01.30* 13:33.37* 28:13.75*
*school record
