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Wildcat Athletes of the Week

Men's Cross Country runner Johnny Sanchez

Johnny Sanchez

  • Award
    Wildcat Athletes of the Week
  • Week Of
    11/11/2013
  • Sport
    Men's Cross Country
  • Bio
    View Full Bio
Last season's struggles left many who follow Chico State cross country wondering where the Johnny Sanchez from 2011 went. Well, heeeeeere's Johnny! And this week's Wildcat of the Week looks like he's better than ever.

Sanchez finished second at the NCAA West Region Championships Saturday in Spokane, Wash., helping the Wildcats earn their 10th regional title in the past 12 years and a spot on the starting line at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23, right back in Spokane.

The junior from Fresno secured his third straight All-West Region accolade, covering the 10-kilometer course in 31:32.17.

This was the kind of result Wildcats fans envisioned year in and year out after Sanchez finished third at the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships, sixth at the West Regional Championships, and 34th at the NCAA Championships as a freshman in 2011.

Sanchez and Head Coach Gary Towne ramped up his training regimen for his sophomore season, but the results were not what they hoped to see. He was still among the team's top runners, but Sanchez slipped to 12th at the CCAA Championships, 21st at the West Regional, and 70th at the NCAA Championships.

As Towne explained, sometimes you have to take one step backward to take two forward. That appears to have been the case with Sanchez.

Beginning with a 25th-place finish at the Stanford Invitational, Sanchez has run among Chico State's top three in every race this season, and Saturday may have marked his best result thus far.


Athlete Awards
Date Athlete Sport
10/19/2021 Antonia Diaz Women's Soccer
10/12/2021 Makaela Keeve Volleyball
10/5/2021 Kelsey Blaylock Women's Golf
10/5/2021 Mark Noonan Men's Golf
9/21/2021 Chris Colla Men's Golf
9/21/2021 Trinity Hernandez Women's Golf
9/8/2021 Susanna Garcia Women's Soccer
9/8/2021 Jacob Chong Men's Soccer
5/25/2021 Kristian Scott Baseball
5/24/2021 Clare Brady Women's Golf
5/12/2021 Garrett Hogbin Men's Soccer
5/10/2021 Sam Mulock Softball
4/27/2021 Mark Noonan Men's Golf
4/26/2021 Kelley Jacome Volleyball
4/21/2021 Josh Verdon Baseball
4/19/2021 Nicole Fairbanks Women's Soccer
4/13/2021 Cooper Renteria Men's Soccer
4/12/2021 Haley Ison Women's Basketball
4/6/2021 Ian Hackett Men's Track & Field
4/5/2021 Angel Lopez Softball
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