Righetti High School’s Amaya Uvalle has officially committed to continue both academic and athletic pursuits at California Polytechnic University, Humboldt, where she will compete in NCAA Division II Cross Country and Track and Field.
The Warrior signed her letter of intent inside the cafeteria during a celebration on Tuesday.
A highly accomplished and decorated athlete at Righetti High School, Amaya concludes an outstanding career holding multiple school records, including the 5000m, 3 mile, 4000m, 2 mile, 1600m, 1 mile, 4x800m relay, and 4x400m relay.
Amaya also set records on several cross-country courses and ranks among the top 10 all-time at Righetti in the 400m, 800m, and 3200m.
Amaya earned numerous accolades throughout a four-year varsity career, including two time First Team AllLeague and two-time Second Team All-League honors in cross country, as well as four-time Second Team AllLeague recognition in track and field. Amaya qualified for CIF competition in both sports each year.
In 2024, Amaya played a key role in leading the Righetti Girls Cross Country team to a historic Ocean League title, marking the program’s first league championship for either gender since 1999.
Amaya also led the track and field team as the top scorer for four consecutive years, contributing to three Santa Barbara County Championship titles.
During her time at Righetti, she has become heavily involved with the athletic training program and participated in an internship with the school’s Athletic Trainer and Sports Medicine Teacher, David Terrones.
In addition to athletic success, Amaya was named Righetti High School Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
“Amaya’s impact on Righetti Cross Country and Track and Field has been tremendous, and the records set will stand for a very long time,” said Warrior Coach Megan Cota- Harrison.
“Amaya is arguably the greatest female distance athlete to come out of Righetti since Carol Karamitsos and Julie Deal in the early 1980s.”
Amaya received offers from multiple universities, including NCAA Division I UC Riverside, but ultimately chose Cal Poly Humboldt for its alignment with long-term academic and career goals, as well as the opportunity to continue competing in both sports.
Amaya plans to major in Kinesiology and pursue a career as a sports physical therapist, with a goal of working directly with collegiate athletes.
“While committed to competing for as long as possible, Amaya is also focused on building a strong professional future beyond athletics,’’ Cota-Harrison added.