Two RRHS athlete alumni receive All-American honors

RIO RANCHO — The accolades for the RRHS cross-country program just keep on coming. After Rams runner Charlie Vause qualified for nationals last week, it was announced that two former RRHS cross-country athletes are receiving All-American Honors.

Esther Cameron earned NAIA All-American honors, and Dawson Gunn earned Division II All-American honors.

“I am extremely proud of both Dawson and Esther,” said Sal Gonzales.

Gonzales was the head coach when both athletes competed for RRHS but has since been promoted to athletic director. The current Ram cross-country coach is Phillip Keller, who just led his squad to another NMAA Cross Country State Championship title.

“It is so hard for athletes to earn All-American honors,” Gonzales said. “Both runners have taken their game to another level in the past two years by putting [in] countless miles of training.”

Cameron is a junior at Grace College in Winona Lake, Wisconsin, and graduated from RRHS in 2021.

While with the Rams, Cameron was an All-State cross-country and track and field athlete and was a member of the Rams’ 2020 cross-country state championship title run.

As a member of the Grace College Lancers, Cameron was the No. 2 runner on her team, which placed eighth out of 35 teams at the NAIA National Championship, which was held in Columbia, Missouri, Nov. 22. She finished 22nd of 326 on the 6K course with a time of 21:30.

After the race, Cameron was named to the 2024 NAIA All-American Cross Country Team.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a governing body for small college athletics programs.

Gunn is a sophomore at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, and graduated from Rio Rancho High School in 2022.

While with the Rams, Gunn was All-State cross-country and track and field, and in 2021, he was the individual state champion in track, breaking the state record and winning the 1600-meter run with a time of 4:20.69. That record stood until Charlie Vause broke it.

As a member of the Colorado School of Mines squad, Gunn finished 25th out of 259 at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships held at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento, California.

Gunn showed off that RRHS Rams spirit, finishing fifth on his team and helping his squad to a national title with a defeat over the heavily favored Wingate University Bulldogs.

“They are great examples for our current Rams,” said Gonzales.