Muneio Goes From Running To Parachuting

Ryan Muneio was a top runner for the Kimball High track and cross country teams a few years back and went on to run, after receiving college scholarship offers, at Midland University in Fremont and then Doane College.

Ryan was a 2015 Kimball High grad who loved to run, excelling in distance events, but he also had the speed to run the short races too. He was a state qualifier in cross country all four years and really came on strong in track his senior season.

At the district meet, Ryan ran second in the 800 and led until the final 200 yards. He clocked 2:02.48 to qualify for the state meet. He also ran third in the 400 meters with a time of 52.14, and ran a leg on the 4x100-meter relay that finished thirrd, teaming with Jaden Withrow, Jon Withrow and Colton Stull to run 46.42.

His senior year in cross country he was All-Conference in both the SPVA and Western Trails Conference and was a double medal winner in back-to-back days of the conference races. He ran 17:59 to break 18 minutes in the 5,000-meter race at Gordon in the WTC race.

He ended up Kimball's lone state qualifier his senior year, finishing ninth at the district meet and thus became a four-time state qualifier. Oh, yes, no wonder the college coaches came calling.

Muneio accepted a track scholarship to Midland, but then transferred to Doane after one semester. At Doane, he was a 400-meter runner competing in the open 400 and on the 4x400 relay team. He added to his medal case with some college hardware, and studied hard for an exercise science degree. He also got involved in lifting weights and built himself an impressive muscular body.

With two semesters still remaining before he gets that degree, he elected to join the Army, which he did in November 2018. He took his basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and his Airborne School also at Fort Benning. He is now a member of Baker Company, 1-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as an E-4 specialist and jumps out of airplanes!

He just returned to the States from a tour and Afghanistan, much to the delight of his mother Marci Muneio and grandmother Sue Walleson, both of whom reside in Kimball. When I talked with Ryan this past week, he was busy getting settled into a house with his wife in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

As you might expect, he still is very active in keeping himself physical, but he also told me that right now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Army is not allowing them to do a lot, just like the rest of humanity.

When his Army tour is up, Ryan plans to complete the two semesters he needs and then he might be looking at something in the medical field. You can be certain he will be successful in whatever he chooses. He always has been!