Azusa Pacific University Athletics

Ayrton Ledesma joined the Cougar cross country staff as a graduate assistant in August 2022, following an outstanding athletic career. Ledesma is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Applied Statistics and Analytics from Azusa Pacific.

Ledesma transferred to Azusa Pacific prior to the 2021-22 academic year, and he ran for the Cougars on the track & field team in the spring of 2022. Ledesma helped lead the Cougars to their sixth-consecutive PacWest Championship, as he was the conference champion in both the 1500m and 3K Steeple, setting meeting records in both events. He also placed second in the 5K, and he was named the PacWest Men’s Track Athlete of the Meet for his performance. At Nationals, he was a Second Team All-American in the Steeplechase, as he placed 12th in the event. In his final collegiate season, Ledesma set the Azusa Pacific school record in the Steeplechase, as he posted a season-best time of 8:50.64 at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Prior to Azusa Pacific, Ledesma ran three seasons at Gillette College (junior college) before transferring to Oklahoma State (NCAA Division I), where he ran one season. At Gillette in 2018, he was the indoor 3000m national champion and the Steeplechase national champion in the outdoor season. That same year, he was the national runner-up in the indoor Mile and the outdoor 5K. For his performance, he was named the 2018 Midwest Track Athlete of the Year. 

At Oklahoma State, Ledesma placed seventh at the 2019 Big 12 Indoor Championships in the 5K, and sixth place at the 2019 Big 12 Outdoor Championships in the Steeplechase. 

Ledesma graduated from Tillamook High School (Oregon) in 2016. While at THS, he was the 2016 4A state champion in the 1500m, and placed sixth at the 2016 cross country 4A state championships. 

A native of Morelia, Mexico, Ledesma placed third at the 2015 U20 Mexican Junior Championships.

Ledesma obtained an Associate of Arts degree from Gillette in 2018, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Oklahoma State in 2021.

Azusa Pacific Cross Country Head Coach Sean Smith on Ayrton Ledesma: “Although Ayrton has been with our program the past year, seeing him step into a new role this upcoming year is something I am looking forward to. He helped lead the team in more ways than just performance last spring and I have no doubt coaching will come naturally for him. His capacity to balance and navigate incredibly tough or complex situations is one of his greatest attributes.  There are not many people I would trust more than Arty after seeing him grow as an athlete and person the past six years. He is an incredibly hard worker and has a brilliant mind. We are blessed to have him with our program and I could not be more grateful for his willingness to help develop a great group of young men and women.”