Pepperdine University Athletics

ACADEMIC AWARDS: WCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll “bronze” honors in 2020-21.
 
PEPPERDINE XC 2020-21 (SR): Was Pepperdine’s #3 runner in the only race of the season at the WCC Championships (2/24) ... Ran the 8K course in 25:25.7.
 
PEPPERDINE XC 2019 (JR): Competed at the final two meets of the season ... Was the team’s #4 runner at the NCAA West Regional (11/15) in 32:03.8, improving his time to the #10 spot on the Waves’ all-time 10K list.
 
PEPPERDINE XC 2018 (SO): Competed at all six events ... Finished in the Waves’ top four at four of them, including a #2 showing at the Mark Covert Classic (9/1) that resulted in a 19th-place finish overall ... Season-best 8K of 24:43.3 at the Bronco Invitational (10/13) that moved him to #6 on the Waves’ all-time list ... His 32:21.7 at the NCAA West Regional (11/9) moved him up to #10 on the all-time 10K list.
 
PEPPERDINE XC 2017 (FR): Ran at all six meets ... Finished among the Waves' top five runners four times, including #2 at the Pepperdine Invitational (9/1) ... Moved into #19 on the Waves' all-time 10K list with a 33:14.4 at the NCAA West Regional (11/10) ... Best 8K was 26:03.2 at the Capital Cross Challenge (9/30).
 
PEPPERDINE TRACK 2021 (SR): Finished his collegiate career ranked in Pepperdine’s top-10 for the 3,000 (#5) and the 5,000 (#9) ... Competed at seven of the eight regular-season meets ... Focused primarily on the 1,500 and the 5,000 ... Ran the 5,000 three times with a best of 14:54.36 at Azusa Pacific (5/15), which ranks #9 in program history ... Ran the 1,500 three times with a best of 4:04.47 at Azusa Pacific (4/17) ... Had the team’s fastest 3,000 time with an 8:49.30, which he ran at Westmont (2/13).
 
PEPPERDINE TRACK 2020 (JR): Competed at both outdoor meets before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic ... Ran an 8:35.49 in the 3,000 meters at Santa Barbara (2/22) that moved him to #5 on the Waves’ all-time list.
 
PEPPERDINE TRACK 2019 (SO): Took part in nine of 10 meets ... Best times were 2:05.48 in the 800 at Cal Poly (3/23), 4:02.07 in the 1,500 at Pomona-Pitzer (4/6), 4:27.08 in the mile at UC Santa Barbara (2/16), 8:46.04 in the 3,000 at UC Irvine (3/16) and 14:58.95 in the 5,000 at UCLA (3/29) ... Won his 5,000 race at UCLA out of 32 competitors.
 
PEPPERDINE TRACK 2018 (FR): Competed at all nine meets ... Ran the 800, 1,500, mile, 3,000 and 5,000 ... Saw his most time in the 1,500 (best of 4:05.97 at UC San Diego on 4/14), 3,000 (best of 8:55.86 at Riverside CC on 3/3) and 5,000 (best of 15:17.38 at Azusa Pacific on 4/19).
 
HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Don Bosco Preparatory High School, located in Ramsey, N.J., in 2017 ... Ran three years of varsity track and two of cross country ... Earned All-Bergen County first team in cross country as a senior and second team as a sophomore ... Was all-state third team as a senior ... Made the All-Big North League second team in the 800 and 3,200 as a senior and 3,200 as a junior ... Was a two-time honorable mention all-county in track ... Cross country team won the state title in 2015 and ranked #24 in the country ... School won multiple league titles in both sports ... Member of the National Honor Society.
 
PERSONAL: Majoring in sport administration ... Born in New Jersey ... Son of Julie Mazella and Gerard Touhey ... Has two siblings, Ryan and Erik ... Chose to attend Pepperdine because it is "a school with a phenomenal reputation and the people at the school made me feel very welcome."
 
FAVORITES: Enjoys going to the beach, listening to music, biking and hiking ... Favorites include Derek Jeter (pro athlete), New York Yankees (pro sports team), Beyond Belief (book), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (movie), How I Met Your Mother (TV show), The Beatles (musical artist), chicken (food) and basketball (sport other than running) ... Favorite thing about running is there's "nothing better than hanging out with your best friends every single day."