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| Height: | 6-5 |
| Weight: | 168 |
| Year: | Junior |
| Hometown: | Niceville, Fla. |
| Position: | Distance |
| Major: | Commercial Music |
| Last School: | Niceville HS |
2011 Outdoor: Set a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:49.05 at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn, Ala.
2011 Indoor: Posted a career-best time of 9:06.01 in the 3,000-meter Feb. 18 at the Atlantic Sun Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tenn., helping the Spartans to a fourth-place finish … Recorded a time of 16:08.33 in the 5,000-meter Feb. 19 at the A-Sun Championships.
2010 XC: Ranks fourth all-time at Upstate, recording a time of 25:50.59 at the A-Sun Championship Oct. 30 to finish 21st … Claimed 25th at the Upstate Invitational Oct. 16 with a time of 26:52.62 … Crossed the line in 27:10.52 at the Greater Louisville Classic Oct. 2 … Posted a time of 27:15.90 at the Clemson meet Sept. 17, taking 37th-place … Recorded a time of 27:48 at the Eye Opener Sept. 5, finishing 57th.
2010 Indoor: Competed in two events, picking up a 9:16.76 in the 3000m (2/26) and a 16:04.22 in the 5000m (2/27).
2010 Outdoor: Crossed the finish line in the 3K Steeplechase on 5/15 with a 9:56.54 as Upstate’s top performer for the season … Also competed in the 800m with a season best, 2:05.51 (4/30) and 1500m with a 4:10.74 on 4/24 … Posted a 9:11.34 in the 3000m on 3/20.
2009 XC: Strong runner for the Spartans ... Was the second Spartan to cross the finish line at three of the meets ... Recorded season-best time of 26:29 at the Eye Opener (9/5), as he finished 11th ... Finished 15th at the A-Sun Championships (10/31) and earned all-freshman team accolades ... Finished 23rd at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational (9/18).
Before USC Upstate: A four-year letterman in cross country and track and field, earning all-county honors in cross country his sophomore, junior and senior seasons ... Won the county championships as a senior with a time of 16:04 and helped to lead Niceville to the team title ... Also was the 4A District cross country runner-up, the 4A Region cross country runner up, and earned a seventh-place finish at the 4A Florida Cross Country Championships with a personal-best time of 15:55 ... Dropped his 5k personal best from 17:06 in his junior season to 15:55 in his senior campaign ... Earned a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star meet selection and finished eighth in the senior race at the 2008 Footlocker South Regional (16:11) and was a part of the All-South Senior Team ... Named the 2009 Northwest Florida Cross Country Athlete of the Year ... Took second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:41.80 at the Florida Class 4A Track & Field Championships.
Personal: Born on April 29, 1991 ... Son of Christopher and Kathy Ritacco ... Has a sister, Meagan, who is a junior on West Florida's cross country team ... Like Chinese and Greek foods ... Favorite movie is "Grownups"... Favorite TV Show is "Tosh.O" ... Favorite actor is Gerard Butler ... Enjoys listening to Falling in Reverse ... Favorite song is "Survivor Guilt" by Rise Against ... Favorite season is winter ... Favorite sports figure is Mick Fanning ... Enjoys swimming, surfing, writing music and playing the guitar ... Admires his sister ... Favorite quote is "be not afraid of greatness. Some achieve greatness, some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them."
