No team has dominated a sport like the Chico State men's cross country team in the history of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Saturday, a group of cagey veterans and postseason newcomers (including four wide-eyed freshmen) will attempt to lead the Wildcats to their 19
th consecutive CCAA crown. The 10-kilomter race will take place on the campus of Cal State San Marcos and is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and fans can watch the action unfold on the CCAA Network.
Leading the way experientially will be seniors Matthew Herrera, Jack Emanuel and Rory Abberton, all of whom helped lead the Wildcats to their 18
th straight CCAA Championship in 2019. Herrera was making his postseason debut as a junior and finished fifth, Abberton came in 11
th as a redshirt freshman, and Emanuel placed 15
th. They are all moving on from collegiate cross country this season.
Meanwhile, four Wildcats are just getting started: freshmen Brayden McLaughlin, Charlie Giannini, Joshua O'Neill and Omar Alvarez-Hernandez. The quartet have become vital cogs in the Wildcats' 2021 success, helping them rise to No. 1 in the West Region and No. 7 in the national rankings. McLaughlin has been the team's top finisher in all three races, racking up finishes of second, second and fourth. Alvarez-Hernandez has been as high as the team's No. 2 scorer and finished inside the top eight Wildcats each time. O'Neill has finished among the top seven Wildcats in each race. And Giannini has been the team's third place finisher and fifth place finisher.
White has also been among the team's most consistent scorers, while Duquette and Ramirez are coming off promising efforts in the final race of the regular season, the Bill Roe Classic at Western Washington, two weeks back.
It will take many of them running to their full potential to pull it off in a field that features four of the West Region's top-10-ranked teams. Stanislaus State is No. 6, race host Cal State San Marcos No. 8, and Cal Poly Pomona No. 9.
Chico State Roster
Jack Emanuel-SR
Joshua O'Neill-FR
Matthew Herrera-SR
Omar Alvarez-Hernandez-FR
Michael Ramirez-JR
Cameron Duquette-JR
Brayden McLaughlin-FR
Rory Abberton-SR
Charlie Giannini-FR
Dylan White-SO
About the Course
The Championship Course begins on the infield of the Mangrum Track & Field Complex before weaving through and around several different Cougar athletic facilities. The course will consist of 2k loops with varied terrain with approximately 75 percent on dirt trails, 25 percent on grass, and 40 meters of pavement per loop. It also has a number of small rolling hills and inclines.
Teams ran the Championship Course on Sept. 25 at the Cougar Challenge. Teams throughout the region came to compete, including five CCAA teams on the men's side. Chico State, just clipped by Pomona Pitzer for the team title 50-52, finished second. Cal State San Marcos was third with 96 points. Cal State San Marcos' Shea Vavra won the men's race, finishing just ahead of McLaughlin in second. Herrera was eighth, while Emanuel, O'Neill and Abberton each finished inside the top 20.
Championship History
Chico State
15 men's winners: Eddie King ('18), Kyle Medina ('17), Will Reyes ('15 and '16), Alex McGuirk ('14), Aaron Thomas ('13), Isaac Chavez ('12), Adrian Sherrod ('11), Brent Handa ('10), Jimmy Elam ('09), Scott Bauhs ('08), Charlie Serrano ('06), Patrick Boivin ('05), Tyler Graff ('03), David Braund ('01).
18 team wins: 2002, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19.
Cal Poly Pomona – four CCAA individual champions: Matt Blaty ('83), Steve Perez ('85), Mark Batres ('02), Daniel Rojas ('04); four team wins: 1985, '94, '96, '97
Cal State East Bay – no team or individual champions
Cal State LA – two CCAA individual champions: Benito Cruz ('87), Jesus Gutierrez ('88); one CCAA team championships: 1987.
Cal State Monterey Bay – no team or individual champions
Cal State San Marcos – one CCAA individual champion: Josh Litwiller ('19)
Humboldt State – no team or individual champions
San Francisco State – no team or individual champions
Stanislaus State – one CCAA individual champion: Vicente Moreno ('07)
Poll Position
In the final national polls before championship weekend, announced by USTFCCCA on Oct. 13, three teams were listed in the poll. Chico State is the lone team represented in the men's poll. The Wildcats sit at No. 7.
For the Fans
Spectators are allowed for this outdoor event on the campus of Cal State San Marcos. However, all fans are required to wear face coverings and stay within designated areas and refrain from interacting with the student-athletes. Participants should wear face coverings when not competing.
The 2021 Cross Country Championships are free and open to the public. Parking is available in Lot Z, located off Twin Oaks Valley Road. Parking is complimentary in Lot Z on game days. Parking anywhere else on campus will require a parking pass.
CCAA merchandise and championship gear will be available for purchase near the entrance of Mangrum Track.
Postseason Schedule
The 2021 NCAA West Region Championships will be held at the Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Ore., on Saturday, Nov. 6. The women's 6k race will start at 10 a.m., followed by the men at 11:15 a.m.
Qualifying teams who advance to the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships will travel to Tampa, Fla. The final race of the year will take place at The Abbey Course on Saturday, Nov. 20. Saint Leo University will be the host of the national championship races.
