Running for the first time in a Chico State uniform, redshirt junior Will Reyes rolled to victory at the Ash Creek Invitational Friday night in Monmouth, Ore., to earn Wildcat of the Week honors.
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Reyes covered the 6,300-meter Ash Creek Preserve layout (home of this year's NCAA West Regional) in 17:47 – a 4:32 mile pace – leading a cavalcade of Wildcats across the line. Reyes crossed the line nearly 30 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, teammate Falco DiGiallonardo.
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The Wildcats, ranked No. 4 in the nation and No. 1 in the West Region, beat runner-up Simon Fraser soundly, 17-64.
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A redshirt last season after transferring from American River Community College, Reyes was a force running unattached. He finished third at the 2014 Charles Bowles Invitational, ahead of the all but one University of Oregon athlete.
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Reyes and the Wildcats will be back in action at the Stanford Invitational Sept. 26.