TURLOCK, Calif.— Two individual conference titles and a flood of top-eight finishes propelled the Chico State women's track & field team to a strong final-day showing at the CCAA Championships on Saturday.
Led by event winners Iresh Molina and Andrea Villalta, the Wildcats closed out the final day of the meet totaling 149.50 points to take second place in the standings behind winners Cal Poly Pomona, which had 184.50 at the end of the championships.
Molina raced to victory in the 5,000 meters, winning in 17:16.53 to earn her first CCAA title and cap an outstanding distance double. She was joined in the race by her twin sister Della Molina, who finished third, while Megan Malloy and Jasmine Fletcher placed fifth and sixth, respectively, netting 25 crucial points in a single event.
Villalta delivered a clutch gold in the javelin, leading a dominant Wildcat group with a winning mark of 40.65 meters. Josie Peterson earned silver, while Jessi Rae Flynn and Daeja Downing added fourth- and sixth-place finishes to make it four Wildcats in the top six.
The Wildcats' success extended beyond individual titles. In the 1,500 meters, Kaya Scuba, Della Molina, and Sienna Bianchi delivered a 3-4-5 finish. Scuba and Sidney Garcia later placed sixth and seventh in the 800 meters. On the track, Danielle Bacon placed sixth in the 400 meters, and the 4x400-meter relay team (Bacon, Garcia, Kaitlyn Gonzales, and Madi Monroe) finished fifth to close out the meet.
In the field, Angelina Escobar earned a runner-up finish in the discus and added a second-place showing in the hammer throw. Janey Rubio claimed the CCAA title in the pole vault, clearing 3.90 meters to win the event. The Wildcats also picked up points in the high jump from Allie Goetz and Kendra Pearson, who tied for sixth and seventh, respectively.
The Wildcats will now turn their attention to the Franson Last Chance Meet at Azusa Pacific, set for May 8–10, where select student-athletes will aim to solidify their NCAA Championship qualifications.
CCAA Champions – Chico State Women
• Iresh Molina – 5,000 Meters
• Andrea Villalta – Javelin
• Janey Rubio – Pole Vault
• Olivia Beschorner – 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
• Iresh Molina – 10,000 Meters
All-CCAA Honors – Chico State Women (Top 3 Finishers)
• Kaya Scuba – 1,500 Meters (3rd)
• Iresh Molina – 5,000 Meters (1st), 10,000 Meters (1st)
• Della Molina – 5,000 Meters (3rd)
• Megan Malloy – 10,000 Meters (3rd)
• Olivia Beschorner – 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (1st)
• Andrea Villalta – Javelin (1st)
• Josie Peterson – Javelin (2nd)
• Janey Rubio – Pole Vault (1st)
• Angelina Escobar – Discus (2nd), Hammer Throw (2nd)
