From San Juan To Chapel Hill: The Story Of Xavier Ruiz

Xavier Ruiz and his father set up homemade lane lines in a river near their hometown in Puerto Rico when the pools closed because of the pandemic. Ruiz wasn't going to let that keep him out of the water.

"I swam in the river for six months," Ruiz said.

Ruiz's determination continues to be his defining characteristic since he began swimming for UNC.

This summer, he competed at the Junior Pan American Games and earned Puerto Rico's first gold medal, setting a Junior Pan Am record in the 100 breast. His community back home celebrated when they heard the news.

"There's a lot of young kids that do swimming," Ruiz said. "They sent me videos of them watching the race. I was very proud seeing that."

Ruiz said he was excited not only because of the win, but because of the chance to represent Puerto Rico and set an example for young swimmers across Latin America who face obstacles to competing at high levels.

"Even if you come from those countries and you have to practice alone or something, do whatever it takes to make it," Ruiz said. "It's worth it at the end."

Path to UNC

Ruiz took his first swimming lesson at four years old. During it, his parents said he cried and held on to his mom's leg tightly.

"I didn't actually learn to swim until I was six, so it took me two years," said Ruiz.

However, once he got the hang of it, Ruiz's parents said he never wanted to leave the water, whether it was the beaches of Puerto Rico or the lanes of the pool.

"I could be at the beach for a whole weekend," Ruiz said. "No food, no anything, just at the beach. I just love being in the water.'

As Ruiz became more interested in swimming competitively, he faced some obstacles. He often practiced alone while in high school, with a coach that was only able to come two to three times a week.

Without a team to push him, Ruiz built his own structure. His discipline and understanding of his own technique caught the attention of Coach Javier Sossa, the UNC associate head coach at the time.

Sossa said when he first heard Ruiz's name, he wasn't sure if he was fast enough for the team.

"He is still very young compared to the rest of his class, so I kind of said 'Let's see what happens," Sossa said. "Then, the next year he developed incredibly well."

Sossa reached out to Ruiz and said it was clear he was special, not only because of his speed, but because of his story.

"For me, as a Latin American, I think it was knowing what he has done in Puerto Rico without all the resources that others kids might have here in the U.S.," Sossa said.

Sossa said Ruiz's drive and eagerness to be the best cemented his belief that Ruiz would be a great addition to the team at UNC. Later, when Ruiz visited North Carolina, he said he immediately felt a connection to the program.

"It was my third visit and I had two other visits after. When I came here, I canceled my other visits," Ruiz said. "I really liked everything."

Settling into the team

Moving to Chapel Hill came with adjustments for Ruiz. In Puerto Rico, he was used to swimming alone or practicing at whatever pace he felt that day.

"When you come here, you need to do everything as a group and as a team," Ruiz said. "That had a big impact on me."

Head Coach Mark Gangloff said that the shift pushed Ruiz to thrive.

"He wants to beat everybody in practice, which is great and perfect for the other people in the pool, because no one wants to lose," Gangloff said. "So ultimately, he's there elevating our training environment."

Gangloff said Ruiz is also a playful and fun person. His ability to be highly competitive and keep things light is an ideal combination.

Ruiz's competitive nature stood out immediately to his teammates too, especially to his suitemate Adam Maraana, who met him at the start of their freshman year.

"I think the best way to describe it is that he's just a racer," said Maraana. "He doesn't care if it's not his stroke, if it's his weak event. No matter what it is, he just goes. He's all in for what he's doing."

Maraana said that Ruiz's ability to go all in is truly impressive, especially when Ruiz might have been laughing or joking about something moments before.

"I wish I had that ability to just be all fluffy and giggle before my race, and then just in one single moment be like the best swimmer on earth," Maraana said.

Maraana is an international student from Israel. The adjustment to culture and life at UNC was something he and Xavier bonded over, Maraana said.

"I truly believe it is a gift that I received, having him alongside me and training with him," Maranna said. "I believe it's the biggest challenge, and having someone like that just making you laugh at the hard moments or who tells you to focus when you have to, it's just a gift."

Making history for his country

This summer, Ruiz had the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico in the Junior Pan American Games. Four years prior, he had competed and placed eighth, but this year he brought home a gold medal, the first for his country.

His family said being there to see his success was an incredible feeling and made every early morning, long practice and sacrifice feel worth it.

"We were so proud of not only his achievements in the pool but also the dedication and resilience he's shown along the way," his parents said.

Ruiz's parents celebrated and said many people reached out to congratulate him. They said his success brought a lot of joy and pride to their hometown.

"We don't get the chance to see too many Hispanic swimmers coming to college swimming in the NCAA," Ruiz said. "So, I always tell the kids to give it a chance, to come more to the U.S. and have an open mind, even if it seems like it's impossible at first."

Now, Ruiz continues to train with the same determination that brought him to UNC. Gangloff said since Ruiz is still very young for his grade, he expects Ruiz to have three more great years at UNC and a professional career beyond that.

"I want him to be able to represent Puerto Rico in the Olympics," Gangloff said. "I mean, that is something that we talk about often, and something that when we're recruiting people we highlight, and ultimately, that's the pinnacle of our sport."

Ruiz 100-Meter Breaststroke Visualization

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Adam Maraana

Xavier Ruiz

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