CHICO, Calif. – On a perfect fall morning at Hooker Oak Park, the Chico State men's cross country team once again proved why it sits atop the West Region. Behind a dominant 1–2 finish from Mario Giannini and Damian Garcia, the Wildcats captured their 23rd consecutive CCAA Championship Friday, scoring 30 points in front of a hometown crowd.
It marked just the third time Chico State has hosted the CCAA Championships, and the Wildcats delivered—placing all five scorers in the top 14.
Giannini won the individual title for the second straight year, becoming the first Wildcat to repeat as CCAA champion since Will Reyes in 2015–16 and just the sixth runner in conference history to do so. Garcia finished runner-up for the second year in a row, and Sergio Cuartas III (6th), Matthew Gordon (8th), Jesus Villarreal (13th), and Jackson Stream (14th) all earned All-CCAA honors.
Stream also became Chico State's first CCAA Freshman of the Year recipient since Brendan Scanlon in 2007.
The championship was also the 17th straight CCAA title for Head Coach Gary Towne, who was named CCAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year for the 21st time in his career. He also earned his 18th Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year award—marking the 17th season he's claimed both honors in the same year.
Team Results (Men's 8k)
| Place |
Team |
Score |
Total Time |
Avg. Time |
| 1st |
Chico State |
30 |
2:03:12 |
24:38 |
| 2nd |
Cal Poly Pomona |
36 |
2:03:35 |
24:43 |
| 3rd |
San Marcos |
73 |
2:05:55 |
25:11 |
| 4th |
Stanislaus State |
130 |
2:09:31 |
25:54 |
Top Chico State Finishers
| Place |
Athlete |
Year |
Time |
Note |
| 1st |
Mario Giannini |
JR |
24:20.5 |
CCAA Champion (2nd straight) |
| 2nd |
Damian Garcia |
JR |
24:28.3 |
3rd straight All-CCAA |
| 6th |
Sergio Cuartas III |
SO |
24:44.4 |
1st career All-CCAA |
| 8th |
Matthew Gordon |
JR |
24:46.1 |
3rd straight All-CCAA |
| 13th |
Jesus Villarreal |
SR |
24:52.9 |
1st career All-CCAA |
| 14th |
Jackson Stream |
FR |
24:54.6 |
1st career All-CCAA; CCAA Freshman of the Year |
| 17th |
Travis Selby |
SR |
25:00.8 |
|
| 22nd |
Alex Lamoureux |
SO |
25:31.3 |
|
| 25th |
Michael Torres |
SO |
25:38.8 |
|
| 33rd |
Xander Schulte-Sasse |
FR |
26:09.5 |
|
Wildcat Milestones
- 23rd consecutive CCAA team championship (most in conference history)
- 4th straight individual CCAA champion for Chico State
- 18th individual title in the last 20 CCAA Championships
- 17th straight CCAA Coach of the Year honor for Gary Towne (21st overall)
- 2nd time Chico State has scored 30 points or more and still win the CCAA title
- 3rd time hosting the CCAA Championships (2003, 2013, 2025)
Up Next
The Wildcats return to action on Friday, November 8, traveling to Monmouth, Oregon, to defend their NCAA West Region crown at Ash Creek Preserve. Chico State has won eight straight regional titles and will aim for a ninth while Mario Giannini defends his individual championship.
