SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – It was another busy and more importantly productive week for the Chico State men's track & field team as the squad split up in four different locations, three in Southern California and one group remained up north.
 
The Wildcats made stops to the ever-popular Bryan Clay Invitational on the campus of Azusa Pacific, the University of La Verne's Leopard Invitational, the Beach Invitational at Long Beach State and the lone visit up north was at the Black and Gold Invitational at Butte College.
 
The relay team of Trey Suffredini, Brody Staley, Quincy Patton and Vincent Rinaldi headlined the week by setting not just the NCAA provisional mark twice in the 4x400m, but they went into the record book and rewrote it. Starting at the Bryan Clay Invite, the four combined for 3:09.50 to win the event and post the 6^th best time in Division II. When they got another shot at the Beach Invitational, the quartet ran in 3:09.11 to win the event again and upgrade both marks in the provisional and school record. The 3:09.11 is the fifth fastest in Division II and second fastest in program history. It is only the second time a relay team clocked under 3:10 in the event.
 
Staley also continues setting provisional times in the 400 meter. In the Bryan Clay, he ran in 47.54 seconds to post the third fastest time in program history and the 27^th best time in Division II.
 
Rinaldi, Staley and Smith teamed up with Willshawn Rusthon-Grisby in the 4x100m relay at the Bryan Clay Invite, combining for 41.17 seconds. Though it wasn't a provisional time, the mark was eighth fastest in program history.
 
Chance Hefter earned provisional marks in two events. Starting at the Bryan Clay, the senior threw for 17.17 meters in the shot put to post the 23^rd best mark in Division II and he finally got his name in the record book as it is the ninth best in program history. When he got the opportunity to throw the discus at the Beach Invite, he reached 51.55 meters to put his name in the record book again at ninth best in the program. Hefter also has the 35^th best mark in the nation.
 
Hunter Dougherty also came up a winner in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Leopard Invitational. Going up against 81 runners, he ran in 8:51.24 to run the 10^th fastest time in the nation and he moved up in the program record book from seventh to third.
 
Damian Garcia made quite an impression in the Bryan Clay Invite. Starting with the 1,500 meter, he ran in 3:42.01 to win his flight and finish 26^th overall out of 135 runners. The time is sixth best in Division II but he put his name in good company in the record book, for he came up short from tying Scott Bauhs' 3:42.0, which ranks second best in the history of the program.
 
Going in the 800 meter at the Bryan Clay, Garcia took 35^th overall out of 132 in 1:49.95, posting the 23^rd best time in Division II and the eighth fastest time in program history.
 
Brayden McLaughlin was also a winner in his event at the Leopard Invite, beating out 81 runners in the 5,000 meter in 14:14.77. It is the 49^th fastest time in Division II.
 
Also setting provisional times at the Leopard Invitational were Travis Selby and Adrian Hipolito. Selby ran in 14:15.76 in the 5,000 meter to finish third out of 81 runners and post the 53^rd fastest time while Hipolito clocked in 9:07.13 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase to take sixth overall and the 23^rd best time in the nation.
 
The Wildcats will now go on a quest for hardware as they gear up for the CCAA Championships, presented by Pollo Campero. The meet will be held May 1-3 on the campus of Stanislaus State. Chico State finished second in the last three meets. Last year, the Wildcats saw five individuals take home event trophies, including Hefter winning newcomer of the meet.