Chico State standout Isaac Chavez in the on the way to making his senior track & field season the best of his All-America-filled Wildcat career. On Friday, Chavez finished the Olympic Development 5,000-meter race at the Mt. SAC Relays in 14:08.19, logging the ninth fastest 5,000-meter time in Division II this season and tying his own personal record. His latest dazzling distance run makes Chavez the easy choice for Wildcat of the Week.
Chavez’s time in the 5k is the third fastest in Chico State history. He ran the exact time last season at the Stanford Invitational and went on to finish 11th in the event at the NCAA Championships.
Chavez’s time in Friday’s 5,000-meter run is the fastest in the CCAA this season by 19 seconds. He also boasts the third fastest 10,000-meter time in Division II this season (20th fastest by any collegiate), a 28:56.19 performance at the Stanford Invitational on March 4. That time is the fastest in the CCAA by more than a minute.
That mark in the 10k guarantees Chavez a spot on the starting line at the NCAA Championships for the fourth season in a row. He’s hoping his 5,000-meter time will get him into that event as well. Chavez already has six All-America honors to his credit. He’s a four-time cross country All-American and has twice earned a spot on the podium in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Track & Field Championships.
Chavez will go after his fourth straight All-CCAA honor at the Conference Championships May 1-3 in La Jolla at UC San Diego. At the same time, he’ll be trying to be part of eight straight CCAA Championship teams (four in cross country and four in track & field).
