TURLOCK, Calif. — With the 2025 CCAA Men's Track & Field Championship on the line, the fate of the team title came down to the final event of the weekend—the 4x400-meter relay. Locked in a tight race with Cal Poly Pomona, Chico State needed to finish above the Broncos in the final event to claim the trophy.
Vincent Rinaldi anchored the Wildcats' relay team with one final surge down the homestretch, outleaning Cal Poly Pomona's anchor Camden Patterson at the line to give Chico State a dramatic edge and secure the team's first CCAA Championship since 2019, dethroning three-time defending champion Cal Poly Pomona.
Here is the full race from FloCollege:
The Wildcats finished with 234.50 points—edging Pomona's 233—in what was the closest team finish at the CCAA Championships since at least 1999.
Saturday's victory capped a three-day run of standout performances for the Wildcats, who captured individual titles, swept major conference awards, and delivered clutch efforts across the board.
The 4x400 result epitomized the team's resilience. Entering the final leg, Chico State sat on the edge of contention. Rinaldi's final push not only preserved the lead over Pomona but also became the defining image of a championship reclaimed.
More points poured in earlier in the day as Damian Garcia, already named CCAA Runner of the Meet, helped add valuable points in the 800 meters and 1500 meters. Chance Hefter, who was awarded both Field Athlete of the Meet and the High Point Award, capped an unforgettable weekend that included a hammer throw title, the discus and a runner-up shot put finish.
Head coach Oliver Hanf was named CCAA Coach of the Year, earning the honor for the seventh time in his career and the first since 2019, as he led the program back to the top of the conference standings. Including the four CCAA Women's Coach of the Year award, has won 11 total in his career.
The Wildcats became the first team since 2017 to sweep the CCAA's four major individual honors:
Runner of the Meet: Damian Garcia
Field Athlete of the Meet: Chance Hefter
High Point Award: Chance Hefter
Coach of the Year: Oliver Hanf
With the championship secured, Chico State now turns its focus toward NCAA postseason competition, bolstered by All-CCAA performances and national qualifying marks across multiple events.
CCAA Champions – Chico State Men
Chance Hefter – Hammer Throw, Discus
Jordan Ausbie – Decathlon
Hunter Dougherty – 3,000m Steeplechase
Brayden McLaughlin – 5,000 Meters
Damian Garcia – 1,500 Meters
Damian Garcia – 800 Meters
All-CCAA Honors – Chico State Men (Top 3 Finishers)
Chance Hefter (Hammer Throw, Discus, Shot Put)
Jordan Ausbie (Decathlon)
Collin Totman (Decathlon)
Hunter Dougherty (Steeplechase)
Adrian Hipolito (Steeplechase)
Anders Beil (Steeplechase)
Damian Garcia (1,500 Meters, 800 Meters)
Brayden McLaughlin (5,000 Meters)
Trey Suffredini (4x400m Relay)
Vincent Rinaldi (4x400m Relay)
Quincy Patton (4x400m Relay)
Brody Staley (4x400m Relay)
Chico State will now send select student-athletes to compete at the Franson Last Chance Meet, hosted by Azusa Pacific from May 8–10. NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship selections will be announced on May 13.
