UNLV REBELS

Olivia Raya

Class: Senior Hometown: Orange, CA High School: El Modena HS

Position: Throws Birthdate: 09/10/1987 Experience: 3L

- Three-time Academic All-MWC selection

2008: Competed in four indoor and nine outdoor meets ... Threw an indoor career-best distance of 50-8.75 in the weight throw at the Husky Invitational, which is the second-best mark in school history ... Heaved the shot put a season-best mark of 35-1.25 at the MWC Indoor Championships ... Turned in a strong performance to open the outdoor slate, finishing first in the discus (121-7.00), second in the hammer throw (156-11.00) and fifth in the shot put (34-6.25) at the UNLV Classic ... The mark in the hammer was a personal best and is the second best in school history ... Threw the discus a season-best 134-8.00 at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational ... Heaved the shot put a season-best 38-1.25 at the Steve Scott Invitational ... Earned Academic All-MWC honors for a third consecutive year.

2007: Threw in four indoor meets and six outdoor meets during the season ... Competed in the shot put and weight throw during the indoor season ... Best mark in the shot was 39-9.75 at the NAU Invitational, which set her career high ... Turned in a season-high distance of 49-3.00 in the weight throw at the MWC Indoor Championships ... competed in the shot, discus and hammer during the outdoor season ... Participated in all three events at four meets ... Posted a season best in the hammer throw (148-10.00) at the UNLV Duel Meet ... Set another season high at the Long Beach Invitational, tossing the discus 137-11.00 ... Had a season-best of 38-3.20 in the shot put at the USC Trojan Relays ... Earned Academic All-MWC honors for a second straight year.

2006: Competed in four indoor meets in her first season with the Rebels ... Had a strong outdoor campaign, placing in four meets and competing in a total of seven ... Opened the season with a 10th-place finish in the hammer with a throw of 118-7.00 at the Aztec Classic ... Added a ninth place at the UNLV Invite with a heave of 38-1.25 in the shot put ... Placed in two events at the Long Beach Invitational with a seventh in the discus (124-3.00) and an eighth in the shot put (37-8.50) ... Had another eighth-place finish in the shot put, this one coming at the Steve Scott Invitational with a mark of 38-10.50, which was a season best.

High School: A four-time letterwinner at El Modena HS under head coach Greg Olquin ... Was the Orange County champion in the discus as a junior and in the shot put as a senior ... Earned first team all-state honors in track and field as a senior ... Named the El Modena Female Athlete of the Year ... Was named the Vanguards' thrower of the year as well.

Personal: Olivia Rose Raya ... Was born Sept. 10, 1987, in Anaheim, Calif. ... The daughter of Connie Raya ... Has two siblings, Marcell and Justin ... Majoring in elementary education.

RAYA'S UNLV CAREER BESTS Indoor Shot Put 39-9.75 at NAU Invitational (2/3/07) WT 50-8.75 at Husky Invitational (2/3/08) Outdoor Discus 137-11.00 at Long Beach Invitational (4/14/07) HT 156-11.00 at UNLV Classic (3/8/08) SP 38-11.00 at MWC Championships (5/13/06)