Taylor Bailey has come a long way in the last two years. As a walk-on redshirt freshman, Bailey ran for the first time in a Chico State uniform at the 2018 Capital Cross Challenge. She was the 12th Chico State runner to finish, crossing the line in 132nd overall with a time of 23:40.3.
Saturday, Bailey was among seven Wildcats to represent the team at the NCAA Division II Championships on that same six-kilometer course. Posting a time a full two minutes faster than she had 14 months prior (21:40.8), Bailey was the fifth Chico State athlete to finish, sewing up the Wildcats' 7th-place finish in the nation.
The Wildcat of the Week finished 103rd overall in the 262-runner field featuing the nation's top 34 teams plus 24 exceptional individuals.
The effort marked the culmination of a spectacular postseason for the sophomore from Clovis. She finished 15th at the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships to earn All-Conference honors and help lead the Wildcats to their 12th consecutive conference title. Two weeks later, she finished 31st at the NCAA Championship West Regional by posting a new 6K personal record of 21:37.7. That helped the Wildcats win their eighth consecutive West Region title.
Saturday, Bailey was in 122nd place a mile in, but methodically moved up the leaderboard. She made her biggest move in the final mile, passing 12 opponents while picking up valuable team points.
