2027 Track & Field Roster
Mark Barajas
- Position:
- Distance
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- El Paso, Texas
- High School:
- Pebble Hills HS
2025-2026
Cross Country – Mark competed in 5 meets during the season. He opened with a 5th place finish (3rd best ACU finisher) in the ACU Naimadu Classic, followed by a 15th place finish at the UTA Gerald Richey Invitational (4th best Wildcat finish). At the WAC Championship, he was the 4th best Wildcat finish and 33rd overall in the field. Unfortunately, an illness on the day of the meet prevented him from competing in the South Central Region meet.
Indoors – in the first indoor meet of the season, the TAMU McFerrin-12 Degree Invitational, Mark finished 3rd in the 3K in a new personal best of 8:19.52. At the WAC Indoor Championship in Spokane, WA, he finished 7th in the 5K with a new personal best of 14:47.48, as well as finishing 13th in the 3K.
Outdoors – opened the season by placing 6th in the Texas Relays steeplechase and later in the season, won the Baylor Michael Johnson Invitational steeple. At the WAC Outdoor Championship in Arlington, he placed 4th in the steeple with a new personal best time of 9:08.02. Later at the WAC championship, he just missed scoring in the 5K as well, as he finished 9th.
2024-2025
Cross Country – ran in all 6 XC meets for ACU, including a 13th place finish at the Gerald Richey Invitational in Arlington early in the season. Once the championship season started, Mark finished 28th at the WAC Championship held in Orem, UT (the 6th best freshman in the field) and 90th at the South Central Regional held in College Station. He was the #2 finisher for ACU in 5 of the 6 races, including both championship races.
Indoors – ran in 4 meets on the indoor season, finishing 7th in the TTU Red Raider Invitational mile with a personal best of 4:19.29. At the WAC Indoor Championship, Mark finished 20th in the 3K (a personal best time of 8:43.49) and ran the anchor 1600-meter leg on ACU’s 3rd place distance medley relay.
Outdoors – competed in 7 meets on the season, with an emphasis on the steeplechase – finishing 3rd in both the ACU Wes Kittley Invitational and the Michael Johnson, and an 11th place finish in the steeple at the Texas Relays. He topped off his year by getting 7th place at the WAC Outdoor Championship in a personal best time of 9:19.38. During the season, Mark also received WAC All-Academic honors in XC, indoor track and outdoor track.
Before ACU: During his HS senior season, Mark went to the 6A State XC meet and placed 60th . Turning to the track in the spring at the District 1-6A meet, Mark won the 800 and finished 2nd in the 1600. At the Region I-6A meet, he placed 6th in the 800 and 7th in the 1600. His times in the 1600 put him #52 in the 1600 and #62 in the 800 for all HS students in Texas. After his HS graduation, Mark had great success at the USATF Junior Olympics Championship in College Station competing for the El Paso Wings Track Club. He successfully defended his 2000 meter steeplechase title In the 17-18 year old division (he finished with the #16 fastest steeplechase time in the nation for HS age athletes), and placed 3rd in the 1500 and 4th in the 3K in that meet as well. During his HS junior season, at the Region 1-6A meet, Mark placed 5th in the 800 and 7th in the 1600. In the summer of 2023, at the USATF Junior Olympics Championships run in Eugene, OR, competing in the 17-18 division, he won the 2000 meter steeplechase, and placed 4th in the 1500
and 7th in the 3k. Mark has all-time bests of 1:55.16 in the 800, 3:59.55 in the 1500 and 6:07.66 in the 2k steeplechase.
Personal: Mark graduated Pebble Hills HS in El Paso on in the spring of 2024, academically ranked in the top 10% of his graduating class. At ACU, he majors in Business Management and was recipient of three academic scholarships – Entrepreneur Scholarship, COBA Business Professionals Scholarship and the John C. Stevens Award. His parents are Mark and Angelica Barajas and he has one sister, Mia. He is also an active volunteer at his home church, Calvary Chapel-El Paso.
Why did you choose ACU? I loved the culture at ACU. The track/cross country team was very welcoming, especially Coach Nathan (Meeuwenberg). I get an opportunity to grow in my faith, education, and in my athletic abilities in a Christian-led environment.
Favorite things at ACU: The culture, the COBA program, the people we met made me feel right at home, and the Christian-led environment.
Cross Country – Mark competed in 5 meets during the season. He opened with a 5th place finish (3rd best ACU finisher) in the ACU Naimadu Classic, followed by a 15th place finish at the UTA Gerald Richey Invitational (4th best Wildcat finish). At the WAC Championship, he was the 4th best Wildcat finish and 33rd overall in the field. Unfortunately, an illness on the day of the meet prevented him from competing in the South Central Region meet.
Indoors – in the first indoor meet of the season, the TAMU McFerrin-12 Degree Invitational, Mark finished 3rd in the 3K in a new personal best of 8:19.52. At the WAC Indoor Championship in Spokane, WA, he finished 7th in the 5K with a new personal best of 14:47.48, as well as finishing 13th in the 3K.
Outdoors – opened the season by placing 6th in the Texas Relays steeplechase and later in the season, won the Baylor Michael Johnson Invitational steeple. At the WAC Outdoor Championship in Arlington, he placed 4th in the steeple with a new personal best time of 9:08.02. Later at the WAC championship, he just missed scoring in the 5K as well, as he finished 9th.
2024-2025
Cross Country – ran in all 6 XC meets for ACU, including a 13th place finish at the Gerald Richey Invitational in Arlington early in the season. Once the championship season started, Mark finished 28th at the WAC Championship held in Orem, UT (the 6th best freshman in the field) and 90th at the South Central Regional held in College Station. He was the #2 finisher for ACU in 5 of the 6 races, including both championship races.
Indoors – ran in 4 meets on the indoor season, finishing 7th in the TTU Red Raider Invitational mile with a personal best of 4:19.29. At the WAC Indoor Championship, Mark finished 20th in the 3K (a personal best time of 8:43.49) and ran the anchor 1600-meter leg on ACU’s 3rd place distance medley relay.
Outdoors – competed in 7 meets on the season, with an emphasis on the steeplechase – finishing 3rd in both the ACU Wes Kittley Invitational and the Michael Johnson, and an 11th place finish in the steeple at the Texas Relays. He topped off his year by getting 7th place at the WAC Outdoor Championship in a personal best time of 9:19.38. During the season, Mark also received WAC All-Academic honors in XC, indoor track and outdoor track.
Before ACU: During his HS senior season, Mark went to the 6A State XC meet and placed 60th . Turning to the track in the spring at the District 1-6A meet, Mark won the 800 and finished 2nd in the 1600. At the Region I-6A meet, he placed 6th in the 800 and 7th in the 1600. His times in the 1600 put him #52 in the 1600 and #62 in the 800 for all HS students in Texas. After his HS graduation, Mark had great success at the USATF Junior Olympics Championship in College Station competing for the El Paso Wings Track Club. He successfully defended his 2000 meter steeplechase title In the 17-18 year old division (he finished with the #16 fastest steeplechase time in the nation for HS age athletes), and placed 3rd in the 1500 and 4th in the 3K in that meet as well. During his HS junior season, at the Region 1-6A meet, Mark placed 5th in the 800 and 7th in the 1600. In the summer of 2023, at the USATF Junior Olympics Championships run in Eugene, OR, competing in the 17-18 division, he won the 2000 meter steeplechase, and placed 4th in the 1500
and 7th in the 3k. Mark has all-time bests of 1:55.16 in the 800, 3:59.55 in the 1500 and 6:07.66 in the 2k steeplechase.
Personal: Mark graduated Pebble Hills HS in El Paso on in the spring of 2024, academically ranked in the top 10% of his graduating class. At ACU, he majors in Business Management and was recipient of three academic scholarships – Entrepreneur Scholarship, COBA Business Professionals Scholarship and the John C. Stevens Award. His parents are Mark and Angelica Barajas and he has one sister, Mia. He is also an active volunteer at his home church, Calvary Chapel-El Paso.
Why did you choose ACU? I loved the culture at ACU. The track/cross country team was very welcoming, especially Coach Nathan (Meeuwenberg). I get an opportunity to grow in my faith, education, and in my athletic abilities in a Christian-led environment.
Favorite things at ACU: The culture, the COBA program, the people we met made me feel right at home, and the Christian-led environment.
Tuesday, August 04
Thursday, July 30
Wednesday, July 29
Wednesday, July 22
