CHICO, Calif. — Chico State Men's Cross Country didn't have to look far to assemble one of the most accomplished recruiting groups in recent Wildcat history.
All six members of the Wildcats' 2026 recruiting class come from Northern California, including four who competed within roughly 100 miles of Chico. The group brings together some of the region's top high school talent with an accomplished junior college standout already familiar with the Chico running community.
The class is headlined by Peter Kendall of Twelve Bridges High School and Alijah Murillo of Branham High School, two of the strongest high school distance recruits to join the Wildcats. They are joined by Rowan Henry of Nevada Union High School, Brady Bliesner of Aptos High School, Grady Morris of Ponderosa High School, and Stephan Chapdelaine of Butte College.
Head Coach Gary Towne believes the group has a chance to be a special one.
"I think between Peter and Alijah, those two are two of the best athletes that we've ever brought in," Towne said. "We've only had a handful of athletes in the history of our program come in having broken nine minutes for 3200 meters, so Peter's sub-nine performance is worth quite a bit. Alijah's time at Woodward Park is also the fastest any Wildcat has run on that course. Those two are really solid headliners, and overall I think this is one of the best recruiting groups we've been able to bring in."
Peter Kendall (Twelve Bridges High School)
Kendall arrives in Chico after establishing himself as one of Northern California's premier high school distance runners.
He capped his senior cross country season with a sixth-place finish at the CIF State Cross Country Championships, covering the Woodward Park course in 15:08.8. Kendall also earned an SJS cross country championship and qualified for the CIF State Track & Field Championships.
His track résumé includes personal bests of 1:55.83 in the 800 meters, 4:08.86 in the 1600 and 8:58.16 in the 3200.
That sub-nine-minute 3200 puts Kendall in rare company among athletes entering the Chico State program and gives the Wildcats another high-level distance prospect with the range to contribute on both the track and cross country course.
Alijah Murillo (Branham High School)
Murillo comes to Chico State after finishing his high school career as one of the top cross country runners in California.
At the 2025 CIF State Championships, Murillo placed second in Division II while running 14:49.1 at Woodward Park. When the results from all five divisions were combined, his performance ranked among the top five runners in the state, earning him an individual berth to Nike Cross Nationals.
Murillo went on to finish 44th at NXN, competing against the nation's top high school runners.
His 14:49.1 at Woodward Park also carries special significance for the Wildcat program. The course has hosted the CIF State Championships for decades, and Murillo's performance is the fastest ever recorded there by an athlete who would later become a Wildcat.
Murillo also captured the CCS Division II cross country championship and owns track personal bests of 4:14.81 in the 1600 and 9:01.55 in the 3200.
Rowan Henry (Nevada Union High School)
Henry adds a strong middle-distance element to the incoming class.
The Nevada Union product owns personal bests of 52.88 in the 400 meters, 1:54.27 in the 800, and 4:14.38 in the 1600, along with a best of 15:56.7 at Woodward Park.
What makes Henry particularly intriguing is that many of his best track performances came during his junior season. An injury limited what he was able to show as a senior, leaving plenty of room for continued development once healthy.
"Rowan has some really good middle-distance times that he recorded his junior year," Towne said. "We didn't even get to see what he could have done his senior year with a healthy track season."
His combination of 400-meter speed, a 1:54 800, and cross country experience gives Chico State another athlete with considerable range.
Brady Bliesner (Aptos High School)
Bliesner joins the Wildcats following a decorated career at Aptos High School.
A three-time SCCAL champion, Bliesner has shown the ability to compete at a high level across both cross country and track. He owns a 15:42.1 best at Woodward Park, along with personal records of 1:55.13 in the 800 meters and 4:17.22 in the 1600.
His mix of championship experience and middle-distance speed gives the Wildcats another versatile addition who can develop across multiple events.
Grady Morris (Ponderosa High School)
Morris arrives from Ponderosa High School after a strong senior cross country campaign.
He finished 16th in Division III at the CIF State Cross Country Championships, running 15:27.6 at Woodward Park, and also captured the CVC individual cross country championship.
On the track, Morris owns personal bests of 53.12 in the 400 meters, 1:56.59 in the 800, and 4:24.74 in the 1600.
His senior-year progression and ability to compete successfully on the cross country course add another promising piece to a deep incoming class.
Stephan Chapdelaine (Butte College)
Chapdelaine may already be the most familiar face in the group.
After attending high school locally and continuing his career at nearby Butte College, Chapdelaine has spent years running throughout the Chico area. He was already a familiar sight to the Wildcat program, frequently crossing paths with Chico State athletes while training around town.
His development since high school has been dramatic.
"Stephan is kind of a diamond in the rough," Towne said. "He went to high school locally but really didn't have much of a training background in high school. He's taken huge steps forward at Butte College, and now he's showing signs of being a real contender within our team."
Chapdelaine joins Chico State as a two-time JC All-American, two-time 3C2A Northern California 10,000-meter champion, and 3C2A Northern California cross country champion.
He owns personal bests of 4:00.17 in the 1500 meters, 14:49.53 in the 5000, and 31:13.20 in the 10,000, along with an 8K cross country best of 24:37.6. That 8K performance already represents a strong collegiate cross country mark and gives the Wildcats an experienced runner who has proven himself over the championship distance.
For Chapdelaine, the move to Chico State represents a chance to continue his career in a running community that has already become home.
A Class With Range
From Murillo's national-level cross country credentials and Kendall's sub-nine-minute 3200 to Henry and Bliesner's middle-distance speed, Morris' continued progression and Chapdelaine's junior college championship experience, Chico State's incoming class brings a wide range of strengths to the program.
More importantly, the group gives the Wildcats six athletes with significant room to continue developing.
For Towne, that combination makes the 2026 class particularly exciting.
"Overall, I think this is one of the best recruiting groups that we've been able to bring in."
The six newcomers will join a Chico State program looking to continue its long tradition of success at the conference, regional, and national levels this fall.
