Editor's Note (May 2, 2026): Due to a pre-championship agreement, UC Merced student-athletes are eligible for event championships, therefore Adrian Hipolito finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He is still recognized as an All-CCAA honoree.
SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Senior Ronin Tidd delivered the standout performance for Chico State on Friday, capturing the decathlon title to lead the Wildcats on the second day of the CCAA Track & Field Championships at Mangrum Track & Field.
Chico State sits firmly atop the team standings after two days of competition, totaling 114 points through seven scored events. The Wildcats hold a commanding lead over Cal Poly Pomona (63 points) and Cal Poly Humboldt (40) heading into the final day.
Tidd's victory in the decathlon added 10 points to the team total and highlighted a dominant showing in the combined events. He was joined by Lavell Cross, who placed third, and Collin Totman, who finished fourth, giving Chico State three of the top four finishers.
On the track, the Wildcats controlled the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where Adrian Hipolito captured the conference title in 9:12.71. Chico State added valuable points behind him with Joseph DePascale (third) and Anders Beil (fourth), turning the event into one of the most impactful scoring performances of the day.
In the field events, Chico State added key points in both the jumps and throws. Nehemiah Holiday earned All-CCAA honors with a third-place finish in the triple jump, while Miguel Long placed fifth. In the hammer throw, Tad Desembrana finished third, followed by Tyler St. Laurent in fourth and Sean Artist in sixth to give the Wildcats multiple scorers.
Chico State also positioned itself well for Saturday's finals with strong performances in the prelims. Trey Suffredini, Brody Staley, and Logan Cole all advanced in the 400 meters, while Staley and Suffredini qualified for the 200-meter final. In the middle distances, Damian Garcia and Brett Ephraim moved on in the 800 meters, and Garcia and Alex Lamoureux advanced in the 1,500.
The final day of the CCAA Championships is Saturday, with the first men's event being the pole vault at 11 a.m.
