A former assistant coach with the cross country/track & field programs at Pratt Community College (Kan.), Amberly Melendez joined the University of North Alabama cross country program as a graduate assistant coach in July of 2021.
A former North American Central American Caribbean (NACAC) U23 silver medalist, Melendez qualified for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 USA Championships, 2020 US Olympic Trials, and has represented Team USA on six national teams including the World Race Walk Championships (Shanghai, China), Pan-American Cup (Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico) and NACAC U23 Championships (Queretaro, Mexico).
Melendez had a standout career at Cardinal Stritch University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Northwest University (Kirkland, Washington). While with the Stritch Wolves, the All-American athlete was an Indoor/Outdoor National Qualifier, third place national finisher, and set five school records. As a Northwest Eagle, Melendez was an Indoor/Outdoor/Cross Country national championship qualifier with a national indoor/outdoor runner-up finish and helped lead her cross country team to the NAIA National Cross Country Championships. She also set three school records at Northwest University, and was a two-time All-American.
As a student of PSJA Thomas Jefferson Early College High School (Pharr, Texas) under the late A.C. Jaime, a race-walking pioneer, Melendez was a multiple-time Junior Olympic National Champion and USA Junior National Qualifier.
She boasts personal bests in the Race Walk with 23:25 (5k), 47:54 (10k), and 1:39:17 (20k).
Melendez earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Northwest University.
