Brenda Daza was born to run

Photo courtesy of D3photography.com

What some people see as a nuisance may be another person’s purpose. That’s exactly what running is to Brenda Daza. 

The Chapman junior is a double major in psychology and sociology and a dual sport athlete in cross country and track and field. What began as a slightly unserious pastime turned into something far greater than she ever imagined, breaking school records and making the national championships for cross county this season.

Daza’s story begins in elementary school during P.E. class, where running the mile was a weekly requirement. It was there that she first experienced the thrill of racing, and she’s been chasing that high ever since. 

“In middle school, I found out that we had a cross country team, so I thought, ‘Okay, that’s cool, I've never been part of a team before,’” she said. 

In eighth grade, Daza received her first title win during a district meet.

“I’ve never won anything or won any medals, so it was so cool to experience that for the first time,” Daza said. “That was really contagious for me, and it helped motivate me.”

As Daza continued running at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, California, the accolades piled up. She was named a three-time All-Empire League, 2022-23 Empire League Champion, three-time most valuable runner, three-time CIF qualifier, team captain and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. With each success, it became clearer — she was meant for greatness. 

During her sophomore year of high school, running in college seemed like a real possibility. At first, Daza looked at schools across the nation before deciding she wanted to stay local and attend a smaller school. Upon discovering Chapman, she knew no other school could compare. Daza considered attending a larger powerhouse, but ultimately wanted a place where she could play a meaningful role. 

“I didn't want to just be another member, I really wanted to make an impact,” Daza said.

And so she became a Panther. A new chapter with new teammates, new coaches and new challenges. Daza believed that the sky was the limit, but there were two main goals that she had in mind since she was a freshman — breaking school records and competing at nationals. This season, she made that dream a reality.

In October, Daza crushed the school record for the cross-country 6k race with a time of 20:56.1 at the University of California, Riverside Cross Country Invitational. This time put her 16.6 seconds ahead of the previous record holder and former teammate Annika Carlson, who had a time of 21:12.7. Carlson graduated from Chapman in May 2025, but her impact remained with Daza.

“She stood out to me because of how much she had improved from her first year of college to kind of breaking out during her sophomore year,” Daza said. “I remember thinking like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can't wait to be part of that.’”

And Daza wasn’t just a part of it; she made it.

After competing in the NCAA West Regionals with a time of 22:24.3 and a top 10 finish, Daza qualified for the NCAA DIII Nationals in Spartanburg, South Carolina. 

“I remember being like … ‘I want to do that too, I want to qualify for the biggest meet in the NCAA,’” she said. “To make it that far really, really meant a lot to me.”

Daza finished 103rd out of 290 runners in Spartanburg with a time of 22:48.5. She became the fifth runner to make it to Division III Nationals in Chapman’s program history. 

“That was the highest caliber I've ever raced. I've never raced anything like that before,” she said. “It was so surreal, so awesome, such an amazing experience.” 

Photo courtesy of D3photography.com

Now, with her main milestones finally surpassed, what’s left for Daza? 

The junior is planning on graduating a year early in the spring and wants to return to attend law school at Chapman University's Dale E. Fowler School of Law. With one year of eligibility left, she plans to race one more time as a graduate student.

Once done with her education, Daza plans on competing for fun and participating in local races. 

Although Chapman won’t be in that chapter of her life, her legacy will certainly leave a mark on its program.

“She’s the best athlete we have in the program, and I think that’ll reflect on others, too,” cross country coach Mircea Bogdan said. “She can lead the way and let other people know that if she reaches a level, others can too.”

In other words, if dedication were a person, it would be her.