CHICO, Calif. — For more than two decades, the Chico State men's cross country team has been the undisputed standard of excellence in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). On Saturday, the Wildcats will look to extend one of the most remarkable championship streaks in collegiate cross country as they pursue their 24th consecutive conference team title.
Ranked No. 8 nationally in NCAA Division II and No. 1 in the West Region, Chico State will enter Saturday's 8,000-meter championship race at Cal State San Bernardino as the favorite to continue its historic run. The men's race is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on the CSUSB Cross Country Course, which will host the conference championship for the first time since 2018.
The Wildcats have enjoyed an impressive regular season, opening with a convincing victory over a predominantly Division I field at the Saint Mary's Invitational before finishing third at Oregon's Bill Dellinger Invitational, trailing only No. 5 Division I Oregon and Weber State. Chico State then closed out its regular season by sweeping both the invitational and open team titles at the Santa Clara Bronco Invitational. Despite resting several of their top runners, including Mario Giannini, Damian Garcia, and Sean Alliegro, the Wildcats won the invitational race with 46 points, placing all five scoring runners among the top 19 overall.
While Chico State enters the postseason as the clear favorite, the Wildcats know their championship streak is far from guaranteed after last year's narrow victory over Cal Poly Pomona, when the Broncos came within six points of ending their historic run.
The 2025 championship proved to be the closest CCAA men's team race in 34 years, with Chico State narrowly prevailing over the Broncos, 30–36. Despite the Wildcats claiming the top two individual finishes, Pomona countered by placing five runners among the top 11, keeping the team championship in doubt until the final results were tallied. The six-point margin was the smallest of Chico State's 23 consecutive conference victories and just the third single-digit finish in the history of the men's championship.
Both programs carried that success into the NCAA postseason, with Chico State capturing its ninth consecutive West Region championship and Cal Poly Pomona finishing third. The Wildcats went on to place 15th at the NCAA Championships, while the Broncos finished 18th.
Cal Poly Pomona has continued to establish itself among the nation's strongest programs in 2026, opening the season with a convincing victory at the Coyote Challenge on the same San Bernardino course that will host Saturday's championship. The Broncos placed five runners among the top nine collegiate finishers to score just 27 points, before adding a third-place finish at the UC Riverside Invitational and fifth-place performance at the NCAA Division II Pre-Nationals in Kansas.
However, the Broncos will enter Saturday with a considerably different lineup than the one that nearly ended Chico State's streak a year ago. Of Pomona's top seven finishers from the 2025 conference championship, only All-American Ricardo Vargas and Jimmy Guerrero remain on this year's roster. While several talented newcomers have emerged to help fill those departures, the Broncos will rely on a relatively new supporting cast as they attempt to challenge the Wildcats' established depth.
Cal State San Marcos will also look to make its presence felt after finishing third at last year's conference championships with 73 points. The Cougars have demonstrated significant improvement this fall, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Highlander Invitational on October 17, where they finished ahead of several Division I programs, including California Baptist's B-squad and UC San Diego. San Marcos also finished runner-up to Pomona at September's Coyote Challenge, providing the Cougars with valuable experience on Saturday's championship course.
For Chico State, Saturday represents another opportunity to extend a championship tradition unmatched in conference history. The Wildcats have won every contested CCAA men's cross country championship since 2002, collecting 23 consecutive titles under longtime head coach Gary Towne. A victory this weekend would make it 24 straight, continuing a streak that has spanned multiple generations of Wildcats and helped establish Chico State among the most consistently successful distance-running programs in NCAA Division II.
Chico State's Championship Lineup
For the first time in Chico State's remarkable championship streak, every athlete in the Wildcats' ten-man lineup was born after the program began its run of consecutive CCAA titles in 2002. Now, 24 years later, a new generation will look to carry that tradition forward with a lineup featuring accomplished postseason veterans, emerging contributors, and talented newcomers.
Leading the group is Mario Giannini, who enters Saturday seeking his third consecutive CCAA individual championship. The Chico native has established himself among the nation's premier Division II distance runners, earning cross country All-America honors in 2024 before adding another first-team All-America performance on the track this spring with a sixth-place finish nationally in the 10,000 meters. He has continued that success this fall, winning the Saint Mary's Invitational and finishing third against elite Division I competition at Oregon's Bill Dellinger Invitational.
Joining Giannini at the front is Damian Garcia, the defending NCAA West Region individual champion and runner-up at last year's CCAA Championships. Garcia enters the postseason following one of the most remarkable track seasons in Chico State history, setting school records of 1:48.23 in the 800 meters and 3:35.61 in the 1,500 meters, the latter ranking second all-time in NCAA Division II. The two-time CCAA Track & Field Athlete of the Year also finished fifth nationally in the 1,500 meters this spring. With his track season extending through the USATF Championships in late July, Garcia began his cross country preparations considerably later than his teammates. Although he has competed just once this fall, he has rapidly been rounding into form entering the postseason.
Matthew Gordon brings an impressive history of postseason success, having earned All-CCAA and All-West Region honors in each of the past three cross country seasons. Gordon placed third at the 2024 conference championships and eighth last fall, while his 42nd-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships left him just two positions shy of All-America honors. He has remained a consistent presence near the front of Chico State's lineup this season, finishing 19th at Dellinger in 24:26.9 and 16th at Bronco in 24:08.5.
Sergio Cuartas III and Sean Alliegro have also emerged as key contributors following breakthrough performances on the track this spring. Cuartas earned All-CCAA honors with a runner-up finish in the 10,000 meters and lowered his 5,000-meter personal best to 14:26.79, while Alliegro made an even larger leap, running 14:21.49 for 5,000 meters and 30:06.98 for 10,000 meters. Both have carried that momentum into cross country, with Alliegro finishing 18th overall at Dellinger in 24:25.9, while Cuartas led the Wildcats to victory at Bronco with an eighth-place finish in 23:47.0. Cuartas also placed sixth at last year's CCAA Championships, earning his first career All-CCAA cross country honor.
Joining them are Alex Lamoureux and Michael Torres, two more Wildcats who have made significant strides over the past year. Lamoureux enjoyed a standout outdoor track season, running 3:45.86 in the 1,500 meters to finish the year ranked second in the West Region and earn All-Region honors. He followed that success with an eighth-place finish at Saint Mary's in September. Torres, meanwhile, lowered his track bests to 3:54.95 in the 1,500 and 14:41.88 in the 5,000 meters before emerging as one of the team's most consistent cross country performers. He finished 27th at Dellinger in 24:38.9 before taking 13th at Bronco in 24:00.7, where he was Chico State's second finisher.
Joseph DePascale adds another accomplished steeplechaser to the championship lineup. A former junior college cross country All-American, DePascale earned All-CCAA honors on the track this spring with a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, an event in which he owns a personal best of 9:15.20. He has continued to progress on the cross country course this fall, recording a 24:08.2 performance at Saint Mary's before finishing 24th overall at Bronco in 24:20.7.
Rounding out the Wildcats' squad are newcomers Alijah Murillo and Stephan Chapdelaine, both of whom have made immediate contributions in their first seasons with the program. Murillo arrived at Chico State following an exceptional high school cross country career that included a runner-up finish at the CIF State Championships, where he ran 14:49.1 at Woodward Park, before going on to finish 44th nationally at Nike Cross Nationals. The true freshman wasted little time making an impact, finishing fifth overall in his collegiate debut at Saint Mary's before taking 18th at Bronco in 24:11.4.
Chapdelaine joined Chico State following a successful career at Butte College, where he earned two junior college All-America honors, captured two Northern California 10,000-meter championships, and won a Northern California cross country title. The local product has quickly established himself as a valuable contributor, most recently finishing 19th at Bronco in 24:13.9 to complete Chico State's scoring five. His performance helped the Wildcats secure the invitational victory despite resting several of their established leaders.
For the ten Wildcats taking the starting line, Saturday represents more than another opportunity to extend a championship streak. It is a chance to leave their own mark on a tradition that began before any of them were born.
Individual Championship Contenders
Saturday's individual championship is shaping up as a rematch of last year's thrilling race, with all three podium finishers returning to contend for the crown. Chico State's Mario Giannini captured his second consecutive title in 2025, finishing ahead of teammate Damian Garcia and Cal Poly Pomona's Ricardo Vargas, with just 11 seconds separating the trio. Giannini now has an opportunity to become the first man since Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Jim Schankel in 1979 to win three consecutive CCAA individual cross country titles. However, with Garcia and Vargas both returning as NCAA All-Americans, along with emerging challengers Jackson Oliveira of Stanislaus State and Ziggy Nacco of Cal State San Marcos, Saturday's race promises another competitive battle for the individual crown.
Among the leading contenders are:
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Mario Giannini — Chico State
Personal Bests: 8K XC: 23:28.9 | 5,000m: 14:05.34 | 10,000m: 29:04.56
Giannini's championship experience and outstanding current form make him the leading candidate to capture a historic third consecutive individual title. In addition to winning the 2024 NCAA West Regional and earning All-America honors with a 28th-place national finish, he has demonstrated his ability to compete with some of the nation's best runners regardless of division. At this fall's Dellinger Invitational, Giannini finished third overall in 23:46.6, trailing only Oregon's Simeon Birnbaum and Connor Burns. With victories in each of the past two CCAA championships and another strong regular season behind him, Giannini enters Saturday as the man to beat.
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Damian Garcia — Chico State
Personal Bests: 8K XC: 23:23.3 | 1,500m: 3:35.61 | 5,000m: 14:00.05
Garcia possesses perhaps the most impressive track credentials in Saturday's field, with exceptional range from the 800 meters through the 5,000. After finishing runner-up to Giannini at last year's conference championships, he went on to capture the NCAA West Regional individual title, establishing himself as one of Division II's premier cross country runners. His outstanding finishing speed could prove especially dangerous if Saturday's championship remains closely contested in the final kilometers. With limited racing this fall following his extended track season, Garcia remains something of a wildcard, but his championship experience and rapidly improving fitness make him a serious threat to win his first CCAA individual cross country title.
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Ricardo Vargas — Cal Poly Pomona
Personal Bests: 8K XC: 23:26.4 | 5,000m: 14:08.62 | 10,000m: 29:34.73
Vargas enters Saturday as the strongest challenger to Chico State's leading duo. A three-time cross country All-West Region performer, he finished third at last year's CCAA Championships before placing second at the NCAA West Regional and 21st at the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors. He added another All-America accolade on the track this spring, finishing 15th nationally in the 10,000 meters. This fall, Vargas established a Cal Poly Pomona school record of 23:26.4 at the UC Riverside Invitational before finishing third at the NCAA Division II Pre-Nationals in 24:02.0. He also earned USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors after winning the collegiate competition at September's Coyote Challenge, giving him the added advantage of already racing successfully on Saturday's championship course.
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Jackson Oliveira — Stanislaus State
Personal Bests: 8K XC: 23:40.6 | 1,500m: 3:54.01 | 5,000m: 14:15.54
Oliveira has emerged as one of the conference's most dangerous individual contenders following a breakthrough 2026 campaign. After finishing 18th at last year's CCAA Championships and 35th at the NCAA West Regional, Oliveira has taken a significant step forward this fall, earning two CCAA Runner of the Week awards. He was the top collegiate finisher at September's Kim Duyst Twilight Invitational before producing an even more impressive performance at Bronco, finishing fourth overall in a personal-best 23:40.6. That performance placed him ahead of Chico State's entire competing lineup, including Sergio Cuartas III and Matthew Gordon. With a 14:15.54 track 5,000-meter personal best and impressive recent form, Oliveira has established himself as a legitimate threat to the favorites.
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Ziggy Nacco — Cal State San Marcos
Personal Bests: 8K XC: 24:05.8 | 1,500m: 3:50.07 | 5,000m: 14:38.57
Nacco has enjoyed a breakthrough cross country season, emerging as the leading runner for a rapidly improving Cal State San Marcos program. After finishing fourth in the 1,500 meters at this spring's CCAA Track Championships, Nacco carried that momentum into the fall, earning CCAA Runner of the Week honors following a strong performance at the Cougar Challenge. He was particularly impressive at the Highlander Invitational on October 17, finishing eighth overall in 24:05.8, the fourth-fastest 8K performance in San Marcos history. His middle-distance speed and consistent performances against Division I competition make him a potential challenger for a high individual finish.
Of course, cross country rarely follows a script, and Saturday's individual champion is far from guaranteed to emerge from the list of favorites. Chico State boasts several additional accomplished runners, including Sean Alliegro, who ran 14:21.49 in the 5,000 meters and 30:06.98 in the 10,000 this spring before finishing 18th overall at the Bill Dellinger Invitational. Sergio Cuartas III, who placed sixth at last year's CCAA Championships, has run 14:26.79 for 5,000 meters and led the Wildcats at Bronco in 23:47.0. Matthew Gordon brings extensive postseason experience as a three-time All-CCAA and All-West Region performer, including a third-place conference finish in 2024.
Stanislaus State's Mason Oliveira is another accomplished contender, having earned All-CCAA honors in each of the past two cross country seasons while owning a track 5,000-meter best of 14:29.66. Cal State San Marcos' Braden Oberg has also emerged as a strong performer this fall, clocking 24:11.6 at the Highlander Invitational, the fifth-fastest 8K performance in school history. Cal Poly Pomona's Jimmy Guerrero earned All-West Region honors with a 20th-place finish at last year's regional championships, while San Francisco State's Julian Vargas was named CCAA Runner of the Week earlier this season after an impressive fifth-place finish at the Bill Roe Classic. With such an accomplished field assembled, Saturday's race could produce plenty of surprises.
While Chico State has established an extraordinary championship tradition, Saturday's race presents a new challenge for a lineup determined to continue that success. With the memory of last year's narrow victory still fresh, the Wildcats will look to deliver another strong performance against a talented conference field before turning their attention to the NCAA postseason. Following Saturday's 10 a.m. race in San Bernardino, Chico State will prepare for the November 21 NCAA West Regional in Sacramento, where the Wildcats will pursue their 10th consecutive regional championship and another opportunity to compete on the national stage.
