For Julianna “Jules” Ondrisko, the road to collegiate athletics did not begin with dreams of school records, state appearances or college recruiting calls. In fact, she admits there was a time she did not even consider herself athletic.
Now, after four years of standout performances for the Pahrump Valley High School track and cross country programs, Ondrisko is preparing for the next chapter of her journey as she continues both sports at Nevada State University while pursuing a degree in nursing.
Along the way, she built more than an impressive resume. She built relationships, confidence, unforgettable memories and what she hopes will be a lasting legacy inside the PVHS program.
Ondrisko’s running career began in middle school. What started as a simple decision to try a sport quickly grew into something much bigger.
“I did not think I would go anywhere in running,” Ondrisko said. “I didn’t think I was athletic.”
Ondrisko also credited Coach Ben Veloz with helping start the athletic journey that eventually led to her becoming a school record holder. She said joining cross country in middle school under Veloz completely changed the direction of her life and opened the door to every sport that followed.
“I would not have done running if it wasn’t for him,” she said. “This little hurdle record, it’s his fault,” she added with a laugh. Ondrisko said joining cross country in middle school under Veloz gave her confidence she never expected to find through athletics and ultimately changed the course of her high school experience. “If I did not do cross country that one season, I would have been just a normal kid, probably not doing any sports at all,” she said.
What began as a single season quickly turned into a passion for competition.
“After I got done with my first year of cross country, I was like, this is low-key so fun. I want to do more sports,” she said. “That’s when I started getting more into track and basketball and wanting to stay athletic.”
By the time she reached high school, Ondrisko was fully immersed in competition. She competed in track and field all four years at PVHS while also becoming one of the top distance and mid-distance runners in the area through cross country.
Her growth over the years became evident through her repeated appearances at the Nevada state championships.
As a freshman, she qualified for state in a relay and one individual event. By her sophomore year, she expanded that to three relays — the 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800. During her junior and senior seasons, she qualified entirely as an individual athlete, showcasing just how much she had developed.
This spring, Ondrisko qualified for state in four individual events: the 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, 1600-meter run and 300-meter hurdles.
One of the defining moments of her senior season came in the 300 hurdles, where she broke the PVHS school record — then broke her own record again at the state meet.
For Ondrisko, the achievement represented far more than just a fast time.
“It was actually a really big relief,” she said. “I thought I had to break 46, and I was like, this is going to be really tough. But then when I found out it was 47, I was like, this is very much doable this season.”
Once she realized the record was within reach, she dedicated herself to refining her hurdle technique and improving her form.
“I was focusing a little bit more on jumping and getting my form down,” she explained. “Once I started figuring out my form, it was really a breathtaking moment because I was like, Regionals, I have to do it.”
She entered the regional meet determined to make it happen.
“I heard it was perfect weather,” she said. “So I was like, nothing’s going to stop me.”
When she crossed the finish line, however, she was unsure if she had actually accomplished the goal.
“I looked over at the times and I was like, did I just do it?” she recalled. “I was so confused because I didn’t know if I did it yet.”
She immediately sprinted over to PVHS Track and Field Head Coach Dan Nagle.
“I was like, ‘Pull up the thing. Pull up the record breaker. Pull it up immediately,’” she said laughing.
The moment the realization hit her, emotions took over.
“I cried a little bit. I was so happy,” she said. “It was just exciting. It really felt like a huge sign of relief, like I’m leaving something behind — like a little legacy. That’s what I wanted.”
Then, only minutes later, she had to return to competition for the 800-meter run.
“It was a quick celebration,” she said.
At the state meet, Ondrisko lowered the record again, running a 47.0 flat.
“When I broke it again at state, I was just so happy,” she said. “I broke my own record. It was just a really happy, enduring moment.”
Her success on the track soon led to recruiting attention from colleges around the country. But for Ondrisko, the process was anything but simple.
“The recruiting process came down to being really difficult for me,” she admitted. “I didn’t know what I wanted at first.”
Initially, she thought she might only pursue track opportunities. It was not until after cross country season ended that she began considering competing in both sports at the collegiate level.
As interest from schools increased, Ondrisko found herself torn between staying close to home and venturing farther away.
“I would always switch back and forth,” she said. “‘Do I want to leave? Do I not want to leave?’”
Among the schools pursuing her was Virginia Military Institute (VMI), a Division I program that offered a full ride scholarship but required military service afterward.
“That was a huge decision,” she said. “They would pay for everything, but I would have to serve for like seven years. So it came down to really thinking, what do I really want to do?”
Ultimately, Ondrisko began looking beyond athletics alone and focusing on her long-term future.
She narrowed her choices to Nevada State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead, a school she strongly considered because of its track program.
But Nevada State stood out for another reason.
“They have the best nursing program,” she said. “So I started thinking more about after track.”
Ondrisko plans to major in nursing and is considering eventually becoming either a pediatric nurse or pursuing further medical education.
“I want to go nursing first and then maybe further into doctoring,” she said. “The nursing degree itself has so much around it, so I’ll probably figure it out as I go.”
She also appreciated Nevada State’s affordability, especially after academic scholarships reduced her expected costs significantly.
“With Nevada State, I’m only paying like $4,000,” she said. “That’s really good.”
The recruiting process itself required initiative and persistence. Ondrisko spent hours researching programs online, comparing times and emailing coaches directly.
“I would go through all these schools and think, okay, I can go to that school. My times are good,” she said.
She sent coaches emails introducing herself, listing accomplishments and explaining her dedication to the sport.
“I even emailed a couple Division I schools because maybe they like the heart,” she joked.
As her performances improved throughout the season, recruiting momentum increased. Coaches began reaching out more frequently, including Nevada State coaches who attended multiple meets and state competition to watch her compete in person.
“He would text me every day,” she said of Nevada State’s coach. “‘How’s it going? What do we need to do for us to pursue this?’”
That consistent communication made a major impression.
“I got really comfortable with him because it was in person and he really believed in me,” she said.
At Nevada State, Ondrisko plans to compete in cross country, outdoor track and indoor track — an opportunity she is especially excited about because she has never competed indoors before.
“I’m happy he said we do a bunch of meets in indoor,” she said. “I’ve never done it, and I want to do it so bad.”
Her coach has already given her a fitting nickname.
“He put as my description ‘Miss Do It All’ because I can do from the 200 to the 3200,” she said laughing.
While coaches currently view mid-distance events as her strongest area, Ondrisko has no plans to abandon hurdles.
“I want to keep hurdles so bad,” she said. “If I commit to hurdles and speed work, my 800 would be great, my 1600 would be better and my hurdles would be crazy good.”
As proud as she is of her accomplishments, Ondrisko repeatedly emphasized that her success would not have happened without the people around her.
At the center of that support system were her coaches.
Nagle quickly became someone she trusted deeply throughout high school.
“When I first came into the program, I was this little freshman and I didn’t know who to talk to,” she said. “But Nagel was always around doing whatever, and I just felt like he was the most comfortable coach I could talk to.”
Over time, that relationship grew stronger.
“I would always complain to him,” she admitted with a laugh. “I’d always be the little Miss Negative Nancy saying I was going to do terrible.”
Nagle, she said, always responded with positivity and humor.
“At state he said he wanted to hit me with a bat across the head if I kept talking like that,” she joked.
She also credited PVHS Cross Country Coach Erik Odegard for never giving up on her.
“He definitely did not give up,” she said. “He was committed as a coach.”
After years of encouraging her to fully embrace cross country, Ondrisko finally committed to the sport — and quickly realized Odegard had been right all along.
“I won the region this year,” she said. “I kind of looked back and thought, maybe he was right this whole time.”
Beyond coaches, Ondrisko said her family played an enormous role in helping her succeed.
Her mother, Heather Martin, supported her throughout every season, while Anthony Banuelos, Jack Hines, her older brother Brandon Ondrisko, twin sister Annabella Ondrisko, younger siblings Isaiah Banuelos and Sophia Banuelos, and the rest of her family continually encouraged her and helped her navigate the demands of athletics.
“They took me to practice, they took me to track meets, they took me everywhere,” she said. “My family has always been super supportive.”
She also spoke emotionally about her grandmother, Meeme Lori Gallear, a former Olympic torch runner and lifelong athlete who continues running marathons and half marathons into her 60s.
“She’s always been there,” Ondrisko said. “She would wake up at five o’clock in the morning if she had to.”
Even after traveling, Gallear still drove long hours to attend state competition.
“She just takes initiative,” Ondrisko said. “She’s watched me since sixth grade.”
Ondrisko also became emotional discussing the support she received from the Dockter and Holzer families, including Preston (Zach) Dockter and Katie and Derrick Holzer.
“They definitely made high school easier for me,” she said. “They would always push me to my limits.”
Whether she succeeded or struggled, they were always there.
“No matter if I did bad or I thought I did bad, they always told me I should still be proud of myself because I got through it,” she said.
Their encouragement became especially meaningful during difficult moments.
“When I was upset after state because I was so close to medals, they kept telling me, ‘Be proud. You broke your record. You went to state for four individual events. You have so much to be proud of.’”
She also credited her boyfriend, Zach Docter, for supporting her throughout nearly three years together.
“When my race gets up, he immediately stands up and yells and screams,” she said laughing.
She still remembers hearing him during her record-breaking race.
“The first thing I heard was, ‘Sprint, Jules, sprint!’”
Among teammates, Ondrisko pointed to Benjamin De Santiago and Joaquin Flores as two of her biggest motivators. Having competed alongside De Santiago since sixth grade, the two constantly pushed one another.
“We would always butt heads saying we were the MVPs,” she joked.
After she broke her school record, she immediately saw De Santiago celebrating from the sidelines.
“I just saw Ben freaking out,” she said. “I was like, oh, he knows already.”
Flores’ loud encouragement also became something she cherished.
“I couldn’t even hear my coach because Joaquin was screaming his lungs out,” she said. “‘Go Jules!’”
She also highlighted close friends Addi Nelsen, Ella Odegard, Ben De Santiago and Joaquin Flores for continually motivating her.
Ondrisko believes Odegard could eventually break the school record she now holds.
“I tell her all the time, when I’m gone, beat my record,” she said. “She believed in me, and now I believe in her.”
As she prepares to leave PVHS behind, Ondrisko knows the next chapter will bring new challenges. She will train on her own over the summer before officially joining Nevada State’s newly launching cross country program in August, and she will immediately begin competing just weeks into the school year.
Still, she is embracing every opportunity ahead.
For someone who once doubted whether she belonged in sports at all, Ondrisko now leaves PVHS as one of the school’s most versatile and accomplished distance athletes — a record holder, a state qualifier, a collegiate recruit and an athlete whose impact stretched far beyond times and medals.
More importantly, she leaves behind exactly what she hoped for.
A legacy.
