Luann Marie Ryon Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Luann Marie Ryon was born in January 13,1953 in Long Beach, California and sadly passed away on December 27, 2022. In her late teens, she followed her brother to Riverside City College (RCC) in the fall of 1971. Luann, at the time enrolled in an archery class only because as the story goes- all the tennis classes were full. Two years later she earned her first gold medal after leading RCC to the 1973 college national team championship. The following year, in 1974, she would also win Individual Women’s College Champion. This was the start of a 17-year career, which includes two Pan- American Games, Olympic Games and numerous National and International Championships.

In 1975, Luann was named RCC Female Athlete of the Year. In her first appearance on an international stage at the age of 23, Luann won a Gold Medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec games in the 70-meter individual archery competition with a world record 2,499 points. Luann was the second American to win Olympic gold in Women’s Individual Archery and the last American woman to claim an individual Olympic gold in archery. She was also a five-time California State Champion (1976-1978,1980 and 1982) and a gold medalist in the 1977 Women’s World Championship, shooting 2,515 to set women’s world record.

To many, Luann was well thought of as a competitor and was viewed as a “class act” by her opponents.

To honor the late Luann Marie Ryon’s stellar collegiate career, passion for education, archery and love for Women’s Track and Field, Dwight Tate and Katherine Ann Wright chose to establish this endowed scholarship with the RCCD Foundation in May, 2023.

Compete for one full season of Riverside City College Women’s Track and Field or participate in Archery (if offered) without quitting or being removed from program.

2.5 cumulative GPA

Enrolled in AA degree program or certificate program from Riverside City College

500 words or less essay regarding personal life and/ or Track and Field career