2024-25 - Senior Season:
Cross Country - Finished 18th in the 8k at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championships while setting a new PR with a time of 26:52.7 ... Concluded the season by placing 60th at the NCAA South Regionals in 27:24.0 ... Came in 39th at the CNU Invitational after clocking in at 27:20.6 ... Also completed the 8k at the Paul Short Run and Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle ... Threw down a 6k personal-best at the Spider Alumni Open after wrapping up the race in 20:13.7.
Track & Field - Scored in a pair of events at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Indoor Championships after finishing fourth in the DMR (10:49.85) and sixth in the 800 (1:58.03) ... Came back in the spring with an eighth-place performance in the 800 at the outdoor league meet after crossing the line in 1:58.82 ... Finished second in the mile (4:29.09) at the Captains Invitational and was the runner-up in the 800 (2:05.43) at the CNU Qualifier ... Added a third-place mark in the mile at the Betty S. Rogers Invitational as well after completing the race in 4:36.13 ... Chipped in with 11 total top-10 efforts during the year.
2023-24 - Junior Season:
Cross Country - Recorded his top 8k time of the year at the Rowan Inter-Regional Border Battle after completing the meet in 28:14.0 ... Also posted a time of 30:16.0 at the Paul Short Run ... Kicked off the year with a 6k mark of 22:21.6 at the Spider Alumni Open.
Track & Field - Picked up second-team All-Conference and All-State citations for his performance on the indoor DMR ... Helped lead the foursome to a second-place finish at the league championships with a time of 10:37.48 ... Remained one of the conference's top distance runners while registering four top-10 efforts in individual events during the league meets ... Came in third in the 800 (1:59.05) and 10th in the 3000 (10:37.48) at the winter championships ... Returned with a fifth-place showing in the 1500 (4:09.86) and seventh-place mark in the 800 (2:00.92) at the spring competition ... Set PRs in the 800 (1:55.71) at the Widener Final Qualifier and 1500 (4:08.60) during the New Captains Classic ... Also set three personal standards during the winter season ... Kicked off the year with a mark of 15:46.82 in the 5000 at the CNU Holiday Open ... Continued his work with a time of 4:27.61 in the mile at the Captains Invitational and an 8:57.60 clocking in the 3000 at the Camel City Invitational ... Named the C2C Men's Track Athlete of the Week on January 15 ... Came through with 11 top-five finishes during the year, including victories in the 800 at the CNU Qualifier and Blue & Silver Challenge.
2022-23 - Sophomore Season:
Cross Country - Collected a top-50 finish in the 8k at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championships after coming in 49th overall with a time of 29:10.9 ... Had his top mark of the year at the NCAA Regional Preview after crossing in 27:53.7 ... Also took part in the 8k at the Rowan Border Battle and Paul Short Run ... Completed the 6k in 21:26.9 at the Spider Alumni Open.
Track & Field - Posted a pair of top-10 efforts at the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championships ... Finished eighth in the 10,000 at the outdoor meet with a time of 37:08.33 ... Came in 10th in the 800 at the winter championships after clocking in at 2:09.93 ... Registered a pair of season-best times at the CNU Qualifier after finishing the 400 in 55.98 and the 3000 in 9:35.20 ... Came back with another PR in his very next appearance after finishing the 5000 in 16:35.52 at the Washington & Lee Carnival ... Placed fourth in the 4x400-relay and fifth in the 1500 at the Blue & Silver Challenge ... Had 13 total top-10 finishes during the year, including a pair at the New Captains Classic and Richard Drake Invitational.
2021-22 - Freshman Season:
Cross Country - Established an 8k PR at the prestigious Paul Short Run after finishing the race in 27:49.8 … Came in 19th in the event at the CNU Invitational with a 28:37.6 mark … Also took part in the 8k at the Inter-Regional Border Battle … Set a personal-best in the 5k during his collegiate debut after completing the competition in 16:55.7 at the Spider Alumni Open.
Track & Field - Placed eighth in the league in the 800 after setting a PR with a time of 2:00.61 at the Coast-to-Coast Conference Outdoor Championships … Also finished 12th in the mile during the indoor league meet with a time of 4:48.16 … Had his top showing in the mile at the Richard Drake Invitational after clocking in at 4:31.09 … Added another indoor PR at the CNU Qualifier after wrapping up the 3000 in 9:49.60 … Finished fifth in both the 1500 (4:12.66) and 5000 (17:13.01) at the Eastern Shore Challenge … Had his top time of the year in the 1500 at the Dennis Craddock Coaches Classic after crossing in 4:12.59 … Came through with three top-five finishes during the year and placed in the top-10 on 13 occasions.
At Roanoke Catholic - Excelled in cross country and track & field during his time with the Celtics … Won VISAA Division 2 state titles in the 800 and 1600 during his senior campaign … Also claimed conference crowns in both individual events as well as the 4x800-relay … Served as a team captain … Notched first-team All-Conference nods for his work in cross country as well … Helped lead the cross country team to a second-place finish at the state meet during his junior season … Also guided the track & field squad to a third-place showing at the VISAA championships as a senior.
Personal - John Christopher Atienza is the son of Chris and Olga Atienza … Has a younger brother, Bennett … Craig Engels is his favorite athlete ... His dream vacation would be a trip to German ... Chicken Parmesan is his favorite food ... Majoring in marketing.
