One definition of legend, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is: "a person or thing that inspires."
So it fits that Eddie King is a legend on the Chico State track and in the hallways of Acker Gym. He's also, once again, Wildcat of the Week.
The former walk-on (only after convincing Chico State distance coach Gary Towne to even let him do that) wrapped up his inspiring collegiate career with his second straight All-America honor in the 5,000 meters at Saturday's NCAA Championships.
King beat the oppressive heat and humidity in Kingsville, Texas, and 14 of his 21 competitors, to finish seventh in the nation after finishing eighth in the event last season.
Not willing to finish his career without a shot at the title, King courageously joined two others in a major early surge that set the tone for a painful second half of the race. He ran third much of the way, but then began to lose places over the final third of the race, falling into seventh with two-plus rotations remaining. But thanks to what Chico State men's track and field head coach Oliver Hanf called "an awe-inspiring and gutsy effort," the kind that King's fans, coaches, and teammates have grown to love and expect, King hung on to finish seventh.
King, who claimed CCAA 5,000-meter titles in 2018 and 2019, won the 2018 West Region and CCAA Cross Country titles on the way to earning CCAA Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year honors. It all adds up to legendary status.Â
