Chico State distance runner Brent Handa has earned his second biggest honor of the past few days. Named the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Newcomer of the Year after finishing second at the CCAA Championships on Saturday, Handa has now been named a Wildcat of the Week.
Handa, a junior transfer from Cal State Fullerton, was considering using this campaign as his redshirt year, but after injuries weekend the men's team - ranked 3rd nationally - Handa stepped in to pick up the slack.
The Fall River High School product ended up doing much more than that. Handa covered the eight-kilometer course in McKinleyville in 24:57.2, finishing behind only teammate Jimmy Elam, who nipped him by seven seconds.
Handa's efforts helped the Wildcats dominate the rest of the field and win their eighth consecutive conference title. He also added an All-CCAA honor to his resume.
Handa and the Wildcats now set their gaze on the West Region Championships, set for Nov. 7 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. They'll be running for their eighth straight Regional title.
