INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA announced its invitations to the 2026 Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Tuesday, and six members of the Chico State men's track & field team were selected to compete in five events. The national meet will be held May 21–23 at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, and hosted by Emporia State University.
Chico State Event Schedule (all times listed Pacific Time Zone)
May 21
3:10 p.m. - 1,500m prelims (Damian Garcia)
3:40 p.m. - 400m prelims (Brody Staley)
6:10 p.m. - 10,000m final (Mario Giannini)
May 22
4 p.m. - 800m prelims (Damian Garcia)
5:50 p.m. - Men's 4x400m relay prelims (Logan Cole, Harrison Hubbard, Brody Staley, Trey Suffredini)
May 23 (if a Wildcat qualifies)
1:55 p.m. - 1,500m final (Damian Garcia)
2:35 p.m. - 400m final (Brody Staley)
3:15 p.m. - 800m (Damian Garcia)
5:20 p.m. - 4x400m relay final (Logan Cole, Harrison Hubbard, Brody Staley, Trey Suffredini)
Garcia enters the championships ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II in the 1,500 meters with a school-record time of 3:35.61 and No. 12 in the 800 meters with a time of 1:48.23, both set at the APU Franson Last Chance Meet, where he turned in a performance that earned him USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors. Garcia is making his second straight NCAA Outdoor Championships appearance after placing fourth in the 1,500-meter prelims and ninth in the final last season to earn Second Team All-America honors.
Giannini will make his NCAA Outdoor Championships debut ranked No. 7 in the 10,000 meters with a time of 29:04.56 set at the Bryan Clay Invitational.
Staley returns to nationals for the second straight season ranked No. 18 in the 400 meters with a time of 46.56 set at the CCAA Championships, while the Wildcats' 4x400-meter relay team of Cole, Hubbard, Staley, and Suffredini enters ranked No. 16 nationally with a season-best time of 3:08.92 set at the APU Franson Last Chance Meet. Staley competed in both the 400 meters and 4x400 relay at last year's NCAA Championships, finishing 20th in the 400-meter prelims and helping Chico State place ninth in the 4x400 relay to earn Second Team All-America honors. Suffredini was also part of last year's Second Team All-America 4x400 relay team.
Chico State leads all CCAA programs in representation at this year's NCAA Championships with six athletes competing across five events. Cal Poly Pomona qualified three athletes in three events, Cal State LA qualified three athletes in four events, and Cal Poly Humboldt qualified one athlete in one event, while no other CCAA programs qualified athletes for the national meet.
