2006: Was granted a medical hardship redshirt after competing in one event... ran in the UCR Season Opener with UCLA (9/1/06), finishing eighth on the team and 15th overall at 19:10.7 over 6K.
2005: Finished 103rd in 29:40.7 at the CS Fullerton Opener (9/3/05)... finished 166th in 27:02 at the Stanford Invitational (9/24/05)... finished 38th in 26:38.1 at the UCR Invitational (10/1/05)... finished 25:35.1 at the Big West Championship (10/29/05)... finished 153rd in 36:19.9 at the NCAA West Regionals (11/12/05).
2004: Finished 63rd in 27:16.1 at Carbon Canyon Park (9/4/04)... finished 124 in 27:21.7 at the Riverside Invitational (10/2/04)... finished 67th in 27:22.6 at the Big West Championships (10/30/04).
High School: Four-year letterwinner in track and cross country at Indio HS... helped his cross country team to three 8-0 records and three league championships... four-time All-Desert Valley League selection... three-time league mile champion... set 5 school records, including one in the 4x400 relay... ran the 800 meters in 1:54:09 and the 1600 meters in 4:14 as a junior... was valedictorian with a 4.78 GPA.
Personal: Joel Cota is the son of Carlos and Cynthia Cota... majoring in biology with a minor in Spanish... favorite athlete is Hicham El Guerronj... enjoys listening to Slipknot, Soulfly, and Killswitch Engage... favorite writer is Dr. Seuss... most memorable sports moment was when Hicham El Guerronj won the gold medal in the 1,500M and 5,000M in Athens at the 2004 Olympics... career goal is to qualify for the Olympics in the 1,500M... lists his father as his biggest athletic influence.