ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - After being the top CCAA finisher in a competitive field at the Mike Johnson Cross Country Classic last Saturday, Chico State's Sergio Cuartas III was selected as the FloCollege/CCAA Runner of the Week, capturing a second consecutive weekly honor following a Wildcat participation.

Getting a sneak preview of the Ash Creek Preserve, which will host the NCAA West Regionals in November, Cuartas III placed fourth overall with a time of 23:57.6 on the 8K run to lead Chico State to a team victory. The only runners in front of him were a trio from Northwest Nazarene. 

Cuartas III was one of five Chico State runners to place in the top 9 as the Wildcats collected 34 points to best the Nighthawks' 40 points.

Although Chico State has raced in two meets this season, both saw a Wildcat get conference runner of the week. Mario Giannini captured the first weekly honor along with being named the USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week.

Chico State will split its squad for its next competition. One group will head to San Francisco for the SF State Invitational on Friday, October 11 while the other group hops on a plane to Romeoville, Ill., for the Lewis Crossover on Saturday, October 12.