SAN MARCOS, Calif. - Behind a historic performance from Brody Staley and a wave of event victories across the track and field, the Chico State men's track & field team closed out the CCAA Championships with authority—securing their 18th conference title and their first back-to-back crowns since 2018–19.
Chico State entered Saturday with a commanding 51-point cushion and never relinquished control. After building 114 points through two days of competition—well ahead of second-place Cal Poly Pomona's 63 —the Wildcats finished the job behind a balanced and relentless final-day push. At the end of the meet, the Wildcats crushed the field with 263 points, stretching the distance from second-place Cal Poly Pomona's 188.5.
The victory carried added significance for the program. Coupled with the Chico State women's championship, it marks the first time since 2017 that the Wildcats swept both CCAA team titles—reestablishing Chico State as the conference's premier combined program.
At the center of it all was Brody Staley, who delivered one of the most dominant meets in program history. Staley swept the 200 and 400 meter titles, clocking NCAA Division II provisional marks in both events. His 46.56 in the 400 ranks 12th nationally, while his 20.93 in the 200 moves him up to 25th in the country . The performance earned him both the CCAA Track Athlete of the Meet and High Point Award, making him the program's first Track Athlete of the Meet since Kyle Medina in 2017. It also marked the second straight year Chico State claimed both the meet's top individual honors, following Chance Hefter's sweep on the field side in 2025.
Distance dominance once again defined the Wildcats' championship formula. Damian Garcia doubled in the 800 and 1500 meters, winning the 1500 in 3:46.75 and returning to take the 800 in 1:51.15 . Mario Giannini added another conference title in the 5000 meters, leading a pack of Wildcats that controlled the race from the front. The distance group's depth continued to pile up critical team points throughout the meet.
Chico State's depth translated into a strong All-CCAA showing, with the Wildcats placing numerous athletes on the podium across the meet. Leading the way were multi-event All-CCAA performers Staley, who claimed titles in both the 200 and 400 meters, and Garcia, who swept the 800 and 1500. The Wildcats added individual All-CCAA honors from Giannini in the 5000, Adrian Hipolito in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Freddy Southworth in the javelin, while the 4x400 relay team capped the meet with a runner-up finish. Contributions in the jumps, throws, and multis—including Ronin Tidd's decathlon title—highlighted Chico State's ability to score across every event group.
In the field, Southworth delivered a breakthrough moment, winning the javelin with a throw of 59.63 meters—an NCAA Division II provisional mark that ranks among the nation's top 65 . The Wildcats also saw strong scoring contributions in the jumps and throws, reinforcing their all-around team strength.
The multis continued Chico State's tradition of excellence. Tidd captured the decathlon title Friday with 6,614 points, giving the Wildcats back-to-back champions in the event after Jordan Ausbie's win a year ago. Freshman Lavell Cross also reached the NCAA provisional standard in the decathlon, scoring 6,390 points to rank 41st nationally.
Chico State's championship résumé was built on event winners across every discipline. Staley (200, 400), Garcia (800, 1500), Giannini (5000), Southworth (javelin), and Tidd (decathlon) each stood atop the podium, while repeat champions Staley (400) and Garcia (800, 1500) reinforced the program's sustained excellence.
Guiding the effort was head coach Oliver Hanf, who was named CCAA Coach of the Year for the eighth time since 2013, continuing to cement one of the most dominant eras in conference history. He also swept both the men's and women's Coach of the Year awards in the same season for the first time since 2013. Hanf now has collectively 14 CCAA Coach of the Year awards in his 29 years at Chico State.
With the conference title secured, Chico State now turns its attention to the postseason. The Wildcats will head back to Southern California for one final opportunity to improve marks at Azusa Pacific's Franson Last Chance Meet, held May 7–9, as they await NCAA Championship selections.
