Every championship banner, record-breaking performance, and unforgettable finish begins the same way—with a year of work behind the scenes and a Wildcat willing to meet the moment. Across the 2025–26 season, Chico State Athletics delivered a campaign filled with title runs, milestone victories, national recognition, academic achievement, and lasting memories. Before the next chapter begins, we look back on the teams, student-athletes, coaches, and moments that made this year one to remember.
A Championship Year for the #WildcatFamily
The 2025–26 season was defined by championship breakthroughs, historic individual performances, and the continued strength of Chico State's student-athlete experience. The Wildcats captured five CCAA team championships, added 13 individual CCAA titles in cross country and track & field, and claimed three West Region championships, including two team crowns and Damian Garcia's individual cross country title. Across all sports, Chico State student-athletes combined for 16 All-America honors, 47 All-West Region honors, and 82 All-CCAA selections, while several programs continued to make their mark regionally and nationally.
It was also a year of transition and celebration. Longtime women's soccer head coach Kim Sutton completed her final season after 25 years leading the Wildcats, and Chico State Athletics continued its newest tradition with the second annual Night of Champions, honoring the student-athletes, coaches, staff, and supporters who helped shape another memorable year.
Men's Cross Country – Streaks Continue, Legacy Endures
The men's cross country program once again added to one of the most remarkable runs in NCAA Division II, capturing its 23rd consecutive CCAA Championship and ninth straight NCAA West Regional title. The Wildcats also extended their NCAA Championship appearance streak to 26 consecutive seasons, closing the fall with a 15th-place national finish.
Mario Giannini became the first Wildcat since Will Reyes in 2015–16 to repeat as CCAA individual champion, earning CCAA Runner of the Year honors for the second straight season. Damian Garcia followed with a championship performance of his own at the NCAA West Regional, becoming the seventh Wildcat to win the regional crown. Giannini, Garcia, Matthew Gordon, and Jesus Villarreal earned All-West Region honors, while Jackson Stream was named CCAA Freshman of the Year—the program's first since 2007. Gary Towne added another chapter to his legendary career, earning his 21st CCAA Coach of the Year award and USTFCCCA West Region Coach of the Year honors.
Women's Cross Country – Back in the National Top 10
The women's cross country team delivered one of its strongest seasons in recent years, winning the CCAA Championship for the third straight season, claiming its second consecutive NCAA West Regional title, and finishing eighth at the NCAA Championships—the program's best national finish since 2019.
Iresh Molina led the way with a historic campaign, winning the CCAA individual title, earning CCAA Runner of the Year honors, and becoming the first three-time All-American in Chico State women's cross country history with a 21st-place finish at nationals. The Wildcats' depth was on full display throughout the postseason, with Megan Malloy, Paulina Martins, Sienna Bianchi, Olivia Beschorner, and Kira Forsberg joining Molina in All-West Region position. Martins was named CCAA Freshman of the Year, Forsberg earned CCAA Newcomer of the Year honors, and Towne was once again recognized as both CCAA and USTFCCCA West Region Coach of the Year. The season extended Chico State's streaks to 25 straight NCAA Championship appearances, 34 straight NCAA West Regional appearances, and 20 CCAA titles.
Women's Soccer – Sutton's Final Season Ends with a Run to the Final
Women's soccer gave longtime head coach Kim Sutton a memorable final season, finishing 10-6-4 overall and second in the CCAA standings with a 7-2-2 conference record. Picked 10th in the preseason poll, the Wildcats surged into championship contention, earned a first-round bye in the CCAA Tournament, and reached the conference final for the sixth time under Sutton.
The defining result came Oct. 10 at Kellogg Field, where Chico State beat No. 1 and defending national champion Cal Poly Pomona 1-0—the program's first win over a top-ranked opponent. The Wildcats went on to defeat Stanislaus State 2-1 in overtime in the CCAA semifinals before falling narrowly to Cal Poly Humboldt in the championship match. Hannah Pieri earned First Team All-CCAA and Second Team All-West Region honors, while Taylor McMahon and Gabby Starr were named Third Team All-West Region. Klayre Barres added to the team's academic legacy by earning the CCAA Elite 13 Award. Sutton closed her 25-year Chico State career with 236 wins and a lasting impact on generations of Wildcats.
Men's Soccer – A Season of Narrow Margins
The men's soccer team finished 5-7-4 overall and 3-4-3 in CCAA play, missing the conference tournament for the first time since 2016. While the win total marked a challenging season by the program's standards, the Wildcats remained competitive in a tightly packed CCAA race, finishing just four points out of a tournament spot and only two wins away from jumping into the top half of the standings.
Felipe Restrepo's squad played one of the tougher schedules in the region, facing nationally ranked Stanislaus State and Cal State LA as well as several other postseason-caliber opponents. Weston Joyner earned CCAA Defensive Player of the Week honors and later was recognized as Chico State's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year at Night of Champions. Dane Peterson and Michael Gray received All-CCAA honorable mention recognition, with Peterson leading the team offensively and ranking among the conference leaders in goals.
Volleyball – Progress Under Interim Leadership
Volleyball took another step forward in 2025, finishing 12-13 overall and 8-10 in CCAA play under interim head coach Ricci Luyties. The Wildcats' 12 overall wins and eight conference victories were both the program's most since 2019, while their seventh-place CCAA finish was the program's best since 2013.
Chico State closed the season with momentum, winning four of its final five matches and building a six-match home winning streak heading into 2026. The Wildcats finished 6-3 inside Acker Gym, marking their second straight winning home season and their most home victories since 2017.
Claire Nordeen earned Second Team All-CCAA honors and was twice named CCAA Setter of the Week, while Jessie Camarillo, Maria Wahl, and Gwyneth Wentzel received honorable mention. Camarillo capped her career by becoming the 10th player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs, finishing eighth all-time with 1,108. In the classroom, 11 Wildcats earned CCAA Academic Honor Roll recognition and four were named CSC Academic All-District.
Women's Basketball – Historic Start, 20-Win Standard Continues
Women's basketball reached the 20-win mark for the third straight season, finishing 20-10 overall and 15-7 in CCAA play while advancing to the conference tournament semifinals. The Wildcats opened CCAA play 11-0—the best conference start in program history—and put together a 14-game winning streak, tying the modern-era program record set by the 2005–06 NCAA Final Four team.
The season also brought a major coaching milestone. Brian Fogel became the winningest coach in the modern era of Chico State women's basketball, passing Fran Coslet's long-standing record with a Jan. 17 win over Cal Poly Humboldt. Meadow Aragon and Madison Parry both reached 1,000 career points, with Parry joining the program's single-season top 10 after scoring 510 points.
Aragon earned First Team All-CCAA and D2CCA Second Team All-West Region honors despite a season-ending injury midway through the conference schedule. Parry joined her on the All-CCAA First Team, while Kamil Reid earned Second Team honors. Kaylie Edge was named CSC Academic All-District, and the Wildcats remained one of the West Region's top defensive and rebounding teams throughout the year.
Men's Basketball – Building Through a Difficult Schedule
Men's basketball finished 8-19 overall and 6-16 in CCAA play in Cevin Meador's first season as the program's permanent head coach. The Wildcats faced one of the toughest schedules in the West Region, competing against four of the eight teams that eventually qualified for the NCAA West Regional.
Despite the final record, Chico State showed competitive flashes throughout the season, including a season-opening win over Seattle Pacific, conference victories over UC Merced, Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State LA, San Francisco State, and Stanislaus State, and several close calls against regional qualifiers.
Chris Holley made an immediate impact in his first season as a Wildcat, earning First Team All-CCAA honors after ranking among the league's top scorers and leading the conference in assists. Meador's first permanent season also included the addition of Chico State alumnus Kevin Warren as head assistant coach, helping lay the foundation for the program's next chapter.
Women's Golf – A Full Schedule and Academic Excellence
The women's golf team completed an uninterrupted 10-tournament schedule in 2025–26, the program's busiest campaign since 2021–22. The Wildcats finished fifth at the CCAA Championships and gained experience across a demanding slate that included four 54-hole tournaments and several large fields.
Brooke Pelletier was the only Wildcat to compete in every tournament and all 24 rounds, leading the team with a 79.6 scoring average and earning the CCAA Elite 13 Award. Gabriella Fanucchi added one of the team's top individual performances of the season at the Women's Palm Valley Classic, finishing 25th in a 142-player field as Chico State placed 20th among 27 teams.
The season also included a milestone for the program, as Chico State hosted its first tournament since 2016–17 with the Wildcat Invitational at Butte Creek Country Club. Heather Fegley-Birchmier completed her ninth season as head coach, with former Wildcat and women's basketball standout Makenzi Laporte joining the program as a graduate assistant.
Men's Golf – CCAA Champions Once Again
Men's golf delivered one of Chico State's strongest seasons in recent memory, winning the CCAA Championship for the first time since 2018 and finishing the year ranked second in the region. The Wildcats captured the conference title in dramatic fashion, defeating Cal State San Bernardino in a three-hole playoff at The Reserve at Spanos Park.
The championship capped a season filled with team and individual highlights. Chico State opened the year by winning the Wildcat Classic with a program-record 823 (-41), then added victories at the Men's Palm Valley Classic, Hanny Stanislaus Invitational, and CCAA Championships.
Naoki Easterday was named CCAA Golfer of the Year and earned GCAA/PING honorable mention All-America honors after recording two wins, eight top-10 finishes, and a 71.0 scoring average. Freshman Vineet Vallamsetty won the individual title in his collegiate debut, earned CCAA Freshman of the Year honors, and joined Easterday as an All-Region selection. Easterday, Vallamsetty, Ty Weaver, and Giuseppe Aliotti all earned First Team All-CCAA honors, while head coach Nick Green was named CCAA Coach of the Year for the third time.
Softball – Ranked Wins and a Late Push
Softball finished 19-25 overall and 13-19 in CCAA play, placing sixth in a nine-team conference and narrowly missing a postseason berth. The Wildcats were in playoff position with two series remaining and closed the season with a strong home-series win over nationally ranked Cal State East Bay but finished just outside the CCAA Tournament field.
Chico State proved dangerous against some of the nation's best, going 5-8 against nationally ranked conference opponents and 5-10 overall against ranked teams. The Wildcats split a four-game series with No. 1 Cal State San Marcos and took three of four from No. 12 Cal State East Bay to finish the season. Pitching remained the team's strength, with Chico State ranking third in the CCAA in ERA during conference play and third in opponent batting average.
Amelie Valdez earned CCAA Pitcher of the Week honors and Second Team All-CCAA recognition, while catcher Brianna Swihart also landed on the second team. Kennedy Gustin and Bella Tavares received honorable mention, and four Wildcats earned CSC Academic All-District honors.
Baseball – Strong Numbers, Tough Finish
Baseball finished 26-24 overall and 15-17 in CCAA play, missing the conference tournament by a half-game despite owning one of the strongest statistical profiles in the West Region. For the second straight season, the Wildcats played the region's toughest schedule, finishing with a .545 strength of schedule, the sixth-best RPI in the West, and the third-best Division II performance indicator in the region.
The Wildcats played 33 home games at Nettleton Stadium—their most since 2009—and continued their home-field consistency by finishing 19-14 in Chico. Head coach Dave Taylor added another milestone to his career, earning his 600th victory as Chico State's head coach with a non-conference win over Stanislaus State. Pitching was the backbone of the season, as Chico State led the CCAA in conference ERA, innings pitched, hits allowed, runs allowed, earned runs allowed, opposing batting average, and fewest home runs allowed.
Manny Lopez was named a Third Team All-American by the NCBWA and earned First Team All-West Region honors from both the NCBWA and D2CCA. Rocco Borrelli and Lopez were First Team All-CCAA selections, Jakob Poole earned Second Team honors, and Jack Tews received honorable mention.
Women's Track & Field – Back on Top of the CCAA
The women's track & field team broke through in 2026, winning the CCAA Championship for the first time since 2017 and capturing the program's 10th conference title since 2002. The Wildcats scored 213.5 points to hold off Cal Poly Pomona, tying UC San Diego for the most women's track & field team titles in CCAA history and moving into first among current conference programs.
Chico State's championship performance was powered by depth across nearly every event group. Paulina Martins won the 1,500 meters, Iresh Molina swept the 5,000 and 10,000, and the Wildcats added podium finishes in sprints, hurdles, jumps, vault, throws, multis, steeplechase, and the 4x400 relay. Oliver Hanf earned CCAA Coach of the Year and USTFCCCA West Region Coach of the Year honors.
Nationally, Iresh Molina earned First Team All-America honors in both the 5,000 and 10,000, Della Molina added First Team honors in the 10,000 and Second Team honors in the 5,000, while Martins and Megan Malloy earned Second Team All-America recognition. Iresh Molina and Janey Rubio also set school records, with Molina lowering the 10,000-meter mark and Rubio raising the pole vault standard to 4.02 meters.
Men's Track & Field – Dominant Defense of the CCAA Crown
The men's track & field team followed up its dramatic 2025 conference title with a dominant championship defense in 2026. Chico State scored 263 points to win its 18th CCAA title and successfully defended a conference crown for the first time since 2018–19. Combined with the women's title, it marked the Wildcats' first sweep of the CCAA track & field team championships since 2017.
Brody Staley starred at the conference meet, winning both the 200 and 400 meters while earning the High Point Award and Track Athlete of the Meet honors. Damian Garcia won the 800 and 1,500, Mario Giannini captured the 5,000, Adrian Hipolito won the steeplechase, Freddy Southworth claimed the javelin, and Ronin Tidd won the decathlon. Garcia continued his ascent nationally, running 3:35.61 in the 1,500 meters at the Franson Last Chance to post the top NCAA Division II mark of the season and set a Chico State record.
Garcia went on to earn First Team All-America honors in the 1,500, while Giannini earned First Team honors in the 10,000. Staley became Chico State's first All-American in the 400 metersand added Second Team honors as part of the 4x400 relay alongside Logan Cole, Harrison Hubbard, and Trey Suffredini. Hanf earned CCAA Coach of the Year honors, and Scott Kruetzfeldt was named USTFCCCA West Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Wildcats Shine Bright at Second Annual Night of Champions
Chico State Athletics brought the Wildcat Family together May 3 at the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium for the second annual Night of Champions, celebrating a year defined by excellence, resilience, and championship success.
Naoki Easterday of men's golf was named Male Athlete of the Year after a dominant season that included CCAA Player of the Year honors, two individual victories, eight top-10 finishes, All-America recognition, and a 71.0 scoring average. Iresh Molina of women's cross country and track & field earned Female Athlete of the Year honors after a championship year that included CCAA titles, NCAA All-America recognition, and school-record performances.
Weston Joyner of men's soccer and Klayre Barres of women's soccer were named Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Chris Holley and Olivia Hohnstein earned Newcomer of the Year honors, while Vineet Vallamsetty and Paulina Martins were recognized as Freshmen of the Year. Comeback Player of the Year honors went to Stefan Foley and Madison Parry.
The evening also featured a special tribute to longtime women's soccer head coach Kim Sutton and the presentation of the Outstanding Support Staff of the Year Award to Associate Athletics Director Brian Ceccon, who has served Chico State Athletics since 2013 and is set to retire at the end of July.
Thank You and Looking Ahead
As we close the book on an unforgettable 2025–26 season, Chico State Athletics extends its deepest gratitude to the generous donors and supporters of our Named Scholarship program. Your commitment to our student-athletes makes a lasting impact—on the field, in the classroom, and throughout their lives. Because of you, Wildcats continue to chase excellence in all they do.
We now turn the page to the 2026–27 campaign, with a new year of opportunities, goals, and memories waiting to be made. The action begins this fall, and we can't wait to once again stand side by side with the Wildcat Family as we support the next chapter of Chico State Athletics.
