CHICO, Calif. – A familiar tradition continues for the Chico State men's and women's cross country programs as the Wildcats return to the NCAA Championships on Saturday.
The national meet, hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, will be held at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The women's 6k race begins at 8 a.m. (PST), followed by the men's 10k at 9:15 a.m.
Head coach Gary Towne, making his 28th consecutive NCAA Championship appearance in his 30th season at the helm, will send the following Wildcat squads to the course:
| Women |
Men |
| Olivia Beschorner |
Sergio Cuartas III |
| Sienna Bianchi |
Damian Garcia |
| Jasmine Fletcher |
Mario Giannini |
| Kira Forsberg |
Matthew Gordon |
| Paulina Martins |
Alex Lamoureux |
| Megan Malloy |
Jackson Stream |
| Iresh Molina |
Travis Selby |
| Isabel Rosales |
Jesus Villarreal |
Tickets can be purchased here. Fans can follow the action via live streaming on NCAA.com or through live results.
According to weather.com, the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and temperatures around 51 degrees—favorable conditions for championship racing.
Both Chico State teams enter the meet chasing a season sweep after capturing the CCAA Championships on their home course at Hooker Oak Park and then claiming NCAA West Regional titles at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon.
Women's Preview
The Wildcat women have been a model of consistency all season, winning four meets—including the prestigious 36-team Lewis Crossover featuring top NCAA Division II competition—and placing third twice.
Four different Wildcats have led the team at the finish line this fall, underscoring the group's balance and depth. All-American Iresh Molina, a Chico High School product, has been the steady front-runner, cruising to the CCAA individual title and finishing runner-up at the West Regional. She also won the season-opening Kim Duyst Invitational while competing unattached. Sienna Bianchi, Megan Malloy, and freshman Isabel Rosales each claimed top Wildcat finishes during the regular season at separate meets.
Chico State cracked the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national top 10 in week five and heads to the NCAA Championships ranked ninth. The Wildcats will look for their best national finish since 2017, when they placed fourth at the national meet.
Men's Preview
The Chico State men enter the NCAA Championships ranked 11th nationally after spending the season atop the USTFCCCA West Region rankings. The Wildcats have won four of six meets this fall, highlighted by a fourth-place showing at the Lewis Crossover against a 37-team Division II field.
Mario Giannini and Damian Garcia have led the charge all year. Giannini repeated as CCAA champion, while Garcia followed with a victory at the NCAA West Regional—becoming the program's seventh West Region individual champion. Sergio Cuartas III also notched a top Wildcat finish earlier in the season, placing fourth at the Mike Johnson XC Classic in Oregon.
The Wildcats will aim to return to the NCAA Championship podium for the first time since 2019, when they finished fourth.
