SACRAMENTO—The day Gary Towne had daydreamed about for more than two years turned into a dream of a day for the Chico State cross country program Saturday when the Wildcats men matched the program's best NCAA Championships finish ever, placing third in the nation.
 
Approximately 500 screaming Chico State alumni and fans helped propel the Wildcats around the looping 10-kilometer course at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on the way to perhaps the most impressive performance in program history. Six Wildcats crossed the finish line among the top 50, a feat no Chico State team before them had accomplished at the NCAA Championships. The third-place finish was its first since 2008. The Wildcats also finished third in 1969 and 2005.
 
Following the race, the scores of Chico State alumni and fans gathered for a celebration of the program's past, present, and future, their faces painted, flags waving, and voices full throat.
 
"This is what I dreamed of the day they announced that Sacramento was getting the national championships," Towne told them. "It means so much that all of you took the time to fly out, drive out, run over, hike over. There are so many different people here from different eras, even from before my time at Chico. It's incredible. It truly is incredible and I can't tell you how much it means to me. I'm lucky enough to be living the dream in the center of this right now and enjoying every moment."
 
Before that, just after the race ended, those Chico State supporters surrounded the seven Wildcats they had come to root on, celebrating their efforts with chants and cheers.
 
In turn, Matthew Herrera let them in on an exciting secret: All seven be back next season.
 
Junior Wyatt Baxter led the way Saturday with a 26th-place finish, followed by sophomore Jack Emanuel in 30th, sophomore Jhavahn Holston in 33rd, redshirt freshman Rory Abberton in 42nd, sophomore Trad Berti in 46th, junior Remington Breeze 50^th, and the junior Herrera 137th in the 34-team, 262-athlete field.
 
Baxter, Emanuel, and Holston earned All-America honors. That marked the second straight All-America efforts for Baxter and Holston, who join a select group of 11 former Wildcats who have accomplished that feat.
 
"I'm just glad we worked as hard as we did," Holston said. "The 7 a.m. practices, the 10-mile tempos, the long runs, the road trips, the high mileage. We worked for this. This just didn't happen overnight. We all trusted in each other. We worked for this. We deserve this."
 
He credited the Chico State fans for helping along the way.
 
"It's crazy. It's nuts. Everywhere is just a sea of red. I loved it. It was our turf. It was in our backyard and we took advantage of that."
 
The intensity is always high at the National Championships. But what turned into a sort of Chico State cross country alumni celebration raised the stakes even higher. The Wildcats responded splendidly.
 
"It was a pretty emotional day. A pretty intense day," said Towne. "Our depth really came through and saved the day."
 
All seven Wildcats ran among the top 50 for the first three-quarters of the race. Berti was in the top 10 at the halfway point before picking up a side stitch that dropped him well back in the field. Herrera began to struggle around the same time.
 
But their teammates were there to pick them up, including Abberton, the team's alternate at the West Region Championships who only missed All-America honors by two positions.
 
"Hell of a run today," Towne told his team. "A 10k Cross Country National Championship race might be the toughest thing out there and you all did really, really well. You're always going to have ups and downs along the way, but we rallied. One guy goes down the next guy picks him up... That's what it's all about. You guys have a lot to be proud of."
 
Chico State has now finished on the NCAA Championship podium (top four) nine times, including eight times in the past 17 seasons. This marked the team's 19^th top-20 finish in the last 20 years.
 
"You can't ask for a much better day than that," Baxter said.
 
Team Top 10

1. Colorado School of Mines–57
2. Adams State–136
3. Chico State–143
4. Grand Valley State–177
5. Northwest Missouri State–206
6. Augustana (S.D.)–225
7. Western Colorado–273
8. Queens (N.C.)–280
9. Augusta—332
10. West Texas A&M–351
 
Chico State Competitors
Wyatt Baxter–26^th (30:24.7)*
Jack Emanuel–30^th (30:33.7)*
Jhavahn Holston–33^rd (30:35.2)*
Rory Abberton–42^nd (30:52.4)
Trad Berti–46^th (30:56.9)
Remington Breeze–50^th (30:58.1)
Matthew Herrera–137^th (31:54.8)
*-All-American
 
Team NCAA Championships History
2019–3rd
2018–7th

2017–9th
2016–4th
2015–6th
2014–14th
2013–6th
2012–5th
2011–4th
2010–5th
2009–8th
2008–3rd
2007–6th
2006–4th
2005–3rd
2004–4th
2003–4th
2002–5th
2001–9th
2000–8th
1999–6th
1995–10th
1973–6th
1972–15th
1969–3rd